execution
noun
ex·e·cu·tion
ˌek-si-ˈkyü-shən 
1
: the act or process of executing : performance
2
: a putting to death especially as a legal penalty
3
: the process of enforcing a legal judgment (as against a debtor)
also
: a judicial writ directing such enforcement
4
: the act or mode or result of performance
5
archaic
: effective or destructive action
his brandished steel, which smoked with bloody execution—
William Shakespeare
—usually used with doWilliam Shakespeareas soon as day came, we went out to see what execution we had done—Daniel Defoe
Daniel DefoeSynonyms
Examples of execution in a Sentence
He is in prison awaiting execution.
The quarterback's execution of the play was perfect.
skillful execution of the dance steps
Recent Examples on the Web
Lethal injection is the standard method of execution in Idaho, but a firing squad is also allowed.
—Brie Stimson, Fox News, 1 June 2024
That impression was cemented decades ago, Mr. Allred said, when Mr. Trump took out a full-page ad calling for the executions of five Black and Latino teenagers who were falsely accused of rape in nearby Central Park.
—Ben Shpigel, New York Times, 31 May 2024
Lethal injection remains Alabama's default method of execution unless an inmate requests nitrogen gas or the electric chair to carry out the death sentence.
—Emily Mae Czachor, CBS News, 30 May 2024
Behind all the talk and regulatory guidance, there’s a reluctance to change how these essential elements of clinical trial execution are handled, putting the very ideals that sponsors are trying to uphold at risk.
—Hope Meely, STAT, 24 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for execution 
Brie Stimson, Fox News, 1 June 2024
That impression was cemented decades ago, Mr. Allred said, when Mr. Trump took out a full-page ad calling for the executions of five Black and Latino teenagers who were falsely accused of rape in nearby Central Park.
—Ben Shpigel, New York Times, 31 May 2024
Lethal injection remains Alabama's default method of execution unless an inmate requests nitrogen gas or the electric chair to carry out the death sentence.
—Emily Mae Czachor, CBS News, 30 May 2024
Behind all the talk and regulatory guidance, there’s a reluctance to change how these essential elements of clinical trial execution are handled, putting the very ideals that sponsors are trying to uphold at risk.
—Hope Meely, STAT, 24 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for execution
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'execution.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Execution.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/execution. Accessed 5 Jun. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
execution
noun
ex·e·cu·tion
ˌek-sə-ˈkyü-shən
1
: the act or process of executing : a carrying through of something to its finish
put a plan into execution
2
: a putting to death as a legal penalty
3
: the way in which something is executed
Legal Definition
execution
noun
ex·e·cu·tion
ˌek-si-ˈkyü-shən
1
: the act or process of executing
witnessed the execution of the will
2
: a putting to death as fulfillment of a judicial death sentence
3
: the process of enforcing a judgment (as against a debtor)
also
: a judicial writ (as fieri facias) by which an officer is empowered to carry a judgment into effect see also levy
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