sentence 1 of 2

noun

ˈsen-tᵊn(t)s How to pronounce sentence (audio)
Definition of sentencenext
as in ruling
a decision made by a court or tribunal regarding a case it has heard he received a light sentence because it was his first offense and he was an otherwise upstanding citizen

Synonyms & Similar Words

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sentence

2 of 2

verb

as in to condemn
to impose a judicial punishment on the judge sentenced him to a fine of $50 and time served

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of sentence
Noun
In Massachusetts, first-degree murder carries a mandatory sentence of life in prison without parole. — Melina Khan, USA Today, 21 Aug. 2026 An agent that calls the wrong API or modifies the wrong record creates consequences a hallucinated sentence simply cannot. — Hemant Kashyap, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2026
Verb
Texas Department of Criminal Justice A Texas judge has denied a bid for a new trial for Karmelo Anthony, who had been sentenced to 35 years in prison for fatally stabbing a fellow student at a high school track meet. — Meredith Deliso, ABC News, 22 Aug. 2026 He was sentenced to 45 days in county jail (but served 13 days due to credit for time served) along with four years of formal probation, mandatory domestic violence classes, and a five-year protective order. — Emily St. Martin, Los Angeles Times, 21 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for sentence
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sentence
  1. ruling
  2. condemn
  3. verdict
  4. punish
  5. doom
Noun
  • Following a July federal court ruling in Colorado that initially granted everyone in his class an extra year, Dent unretired and entered the transfer portal for one more season.
    — Devon Henderson, New York Times, 22 Aug. 2026
  • The judge's ruling vacated the visa ban and also set aside visa denials that were based only on the policy.
    — Michael Copley, NPR, 22 Aug. 2026
Definition of ruling
Verb
  • Based on a Joseph Conrad story, the period drama follows two officers in Napoleon’s army (Keith Carradine and Harvey Keitel) whose minor quarrel condemns them to 15 years of repeatedly trying to kill each other.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 20 Aug. 2026
  • Police opened an investigation earlier this summer into death threats against Gabela left under one of Corben’s posts, which Corben condemned.
    — Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of condemn
Noun
  • Jurors deliberated for less than three hours before returning the verdict.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 19 Aug. 2026
  • But the state of New York offers defendants strong double jeopardy protections; in New York, a prior conviction—either through a guilty plea or a guilty verdict after a trial—for the same offense typically triggers double jeopardy.
    — Chantelle Lee, Time, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of verdict
Verb
  • Iran has weathered near-continuous, punishing economic sanctions for nearly 50 years, since the Islamic Revolution of 1979.
    — Reuters, NBC news, 21 Aug. 2026
  • The punishing financial verdicts against Jones and his company, Free Speech Systems, in recent years have forced him into bankruptcy, led to some of his personal property being put up for auction and led to him leaving his Infowars platform.
    — Jim Vertuno, Fortune, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of punish
Verb
  • The mission to save NASA's sinking Swift Observatory was called off Wednesday, dooming the telescope to a fiery reentry later this year.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 19 Aug. 2026
  • Fighting valiantly but doomed by a lack of supplies, soldiers surrendered the fort on this day in 1864, bringing the Battle of Mobile Bay to its end.
    — Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of doom

Browse Nearby Words

sent (away)
sentence
sentenced
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Sentence.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sentence. Accessed 23 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on sentence

Nglish: Translation of sentence for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about sentence

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