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.

---

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

---

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

Ward also found that Pike had not identified another method of execution, as is required by U.S.

From Slate ● Aug. 25, 2026

Although some investors are doubtful about Apple Intelligence and AI-powered Siri, successful execution of those features “could extend the iPhone cycle, drive upgrades and unlock new monetization opportunities,” Daryanani said.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 21, 2026

Pro Football Focus ranked him fourth in a grading system that factors in hang time, directional placement and situational execution.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 21, 2026

However, the bank remains cautious given execution risks around the company’s 2029 targets and elevated leverage.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 20, 2026

The civil suit failed to slow down the State of Alabama, which moved ahead aggressively with more execution dates.

From "Just Mercy" by Bryan Stevenson

That translates to around 1 percent of the executions carried out in that period.

From Slate ● Aug. 25, 2026

Just over halfway into 2026, 12 of the 19 executions occurred in Florida.

From BBC ● Aug. 12, 2026

Four of them - California, Ohio, Oregon and Pennsylvania - have paused executions through executive actions, as issues of botched executions, discrimination and cost have come to the forefront.

From BBC ● Aug. 12, 2026

In 2020, during his first term, he ended a nearly two-decade moratorium on the federal death penalty, by ordering 13 executions over a six month period.

From BBC ● Aug. 12, 2026

It was impossible, in spite of the endless arrests and confessions and executions, to be sure that the Brotherhood was not simply a myth.

From "1984" by George Orwell