execution

American  

[ek-si-kyoo-shuhn] / ˌɛk sɪˈkyu ʃən /

noun

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

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

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

But Barclays analyst Dan Levy wrote Thursday that the opportunity is in the range of $300 million to $500 million, adding, “the opportunity should be balanced against questions of execution and ramp.”

From Barron's • May 14, 2026

"FY2025 marked a year of steady execution under Re:Nissan, where we strengthened our foundation and began to see tangible progress in our financial performance," CEO Ivan Espinosa said, referring to its restructuring programme.

From Barron's • May 13, 2026

Cavalcanti’s, no less brilliant in its execution, looks through the glass darkly, with painful scenes of long-ago squalor and depravity that sadly echo our own.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 11, 2026

With a new exhibition on view, photographer Ken Karagozian and author India Mandelkern discuss their book, “Wilshire Subway,” which documents the decades-long ideation and execution of L.A.

From Los Angeles Times • May 8, 2026

They wanted things to proceed on schedule and were clearly ready to move to the next stage to prepare for the execution.

From "Just Mercy" by Bryan Stevenson