executed

American  

[ek-si-kyoo-tid] / ˈɛk sɪˌkyu tɪd /

adjective

1. carried out or acted on; performed.

   Doctors and nurses protested the central government's poorly executed offloading of healthcare responsibility to county governments.

2. put to death according to law.

   Historically, an executed criminal was first buried in a public plot and only a year later transferred to the family grave.

3. murdered or assassinated, especially swiftly and dispassionately or with political motivation.

   Videos even show the guerillas rejoicing over their executed victims.

4. produced from a design or concept, as a piece of art or other skilled work.

   From the smoky wood flavors of seasonal appetizers to the finely executed desserts, the bistro keeps customers coming back for more.

5. Law.

   1. (of a law, judicial sentence, etc.) put into force or effect.

      The Board is established for the purpose of hearing and deciding on appeals of a lawfully executed order.

   2. (of a legal instrument) completed or transacted by fulfilling legal requirements, as by signing or sealing.

      To access this funding, municipalities must submit signed construction contracts and an executed loan agreement by June 17.

6. Computers. (of a program, routine, or instruction) carried out.

   Press F11, and the most recently executed launch configuration will be launched.

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verb

1. the simple past tense and past participle of execute.

Other Word Forms

• unexecuted
  adjective
• well-executed
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of executed

execute ( def. ) + -ed ² ( def. )

Example Sentences

Joseph Smith, the defendant will not be executed.

From Slate • May 23, 2026

There’s a version of cooking that’s aspirational—carefully planned, beautifully executed, a little bit performative.

From Salon • May 22, 2026

So you’ve executed the first two steps really well, and now you want to know about the spending part.

From MarketWatch • May 21, 2026

He likened Jin to Dietrich Bonhoeffer, a German pastor and anti-Nazi dissident who left the safety of the U.S. to return to Germany in 1939, only to be arrested and executed a few years later.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 19, 2026

“It was the first time a married couple had been executed. Also something about the first time American citizens were executed for spying in peacetime. It was very controversial.”

From "A Mango-Shaped Space" by Wendy Mass