execution

American  

[ek-si-kyoo-shuhn] / ˌɛk sɪˈkju ʃən /

noun

executions plural

1. the act or process of executing.

2. the state or fact of being executed.

3. the infliction of capital punishment or, formerly, of any legal punishment.

4. the process of performing a judgment or sentence of a court.

   The judge stayed execution of the sentence pending appeal.

5. a mode or style of performance; technical skill, as in music.

   The pianist's execution of the sonata was consummate.

6. effective, usually destructive action, or the result attained by it (usually preceded bydo ).

   The grenades did rapid execution.

7. Law. a judicial writ directing the enforcement of a judgment.

8. Computers. the act of running, or the results of having run, a program or routine, or the performance of an instruction.

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execution British  

/ ˌɛksɪˈkjuːʃən /

noun

1. the act or process of executing

2. the carrying out or undergoing of a sentence of death

3. the style or manner in which something is accomplished or performed; technique

   as a pianist his execution is poor

4. 1. the enforcement of the judgment of a court of law

   2. the writ ordering such enforcement

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• nonexecution
  noun
• preexecution
  noun
• reexecution
  noun
• executional
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• executions
  plural

Etymology

Origin of execution

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English execucioun, from Latin ex(s)ecūtiōn-, stem of ex(s)ecūtiō “accomplishment, performance”; equivalent to execute + -ion

Explanation

The planning stage of building a tree house is the fun part — the hard part is the execution of your plan. Execution is taking an idea and actually making it happen. The execution of a plan is when you put it into effect, like the execution on the field of a football team's game plan. It can also mean the style in which a project is carried out, like a ballet's creative execution. Execution can also refer to the death of a person, either a prisoner who's been sentenced to death by a court of law, or a deliberate, targeted murder, especially when it's done for political reasons.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

execution executions

"All in all, I would say a very strong quarter. Both from a market dynamic perspective and from an execution perspective," said chief financial officer Roger Dassen.

From Barron's ● Jul. 15, 2026

It added that AlixPartners is assisting it on improving its execution and strengthening operations and has not recommended bankruptcy to either Lucid’s board or management team.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 14, 2026

Inspector General Matthew Barragan recommended in the audit that the department suspend the deployment of any new automatic license plate readers, known as ALPRs, and the execution of new contracts.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 12, 2026

It’s unconscionable that Dailey continues to await execution.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 10, 2026

On the night of the Ritter execution, Myers was in full crisis, sobbing in his cell.

From "Just Mercy" by Bryan Stevenson

Last year, the number of executions was 47, the largest number in 16 years.

From Slate ● Jun. 8, 2026

Meanwhile, the Iranian authorities executed two men on Saturday convicted of spying for Israel, the judiciary said, the latest in a string of executions in recent weeks.

From Barron's ● May 2, 2026

In his first term, he ended a 20-year moratorium on executions committed by the federal government.

From BBC ● Apr. 24, 2026

However, last year saw the highest number of recorded executions in the Islamic Republic for 36 years, with an average of four per day, according to the report by IHR and EPCM.

From BBC ● Apr. 13, 2026

Then I blame myself every time for not having paid enough attention to accounts of executions.

From "The Stranger" by Albert Camus