Definitions

capital punishment

[kap-i-tl puhn-ish-muhnt] / ˈkæp ɪ tl ˈpʌn ɪʃ mənt /

NOUN

death penalty

Synonyms

WEAK

death sentence death warrant execution extreme penalty judicial murder

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

The Court had in prior decades issued many emergency orders in election and capital punishment cases.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 24, 2026

South Korea has an unofficial moratorium on capital punishment, with the last prisoners executed in 1997.

From Barron's • Feb. 20, 2026

After many countries around the world abolished capital punishment, Israel is taking steps in the opposite direction.

From BBC • Jan. 31, 2026

In eight states, capital punishment has no effect on the murder rate.

From Slate • Jan. 16, 2026

Supreme Court had grown impatient with challenges to capital punishment.

From "Just Mercy" by Bryan Stevenson