Home / Dictionary / Execute

Execute Very Common

Execute has 8 different meanings across 1 category:

Verb

Definitions
Verb
1

kill as a means of socially sanctioned punishment

"In some states, criminals are executed"

2

murder in a planned fashion

"The Mafioso who collaborated with the police was executed"

3

put in effect

"carry out a task"

"execute the decision of the people"

"He actioned the operation"

4

carry out the legalities of

"execute a will or a deed"

5

carry out a process or program, as on a computer or a machine

"Run the dishwasher"

"run a new program on the Mac"

"the computer executed the instruction"

6

carry out or perform an action

"John did the painting, the weeding, and he cleaned out the gutters"

"the skater executed a triple pirouette"

"she did a little dance"

7

sign in the presence of witnesses

"The President executed the treaty"

8

To kill as punishment for capital crimes.

"The condemned prisoner was executed at dawn after being found guilty of treason."

In plain English: To execute means to carry out an order, plan, or task by actually doing it.

"The chef managed to execute his complex recipe perfectly on this busy weekend night."

Usage: Use this verb to describe legally carrying out a death sentence, such as when an inmate is put to death by the state. Do not confuse it with general synonyms like perform or complete unless specifically referring to judicial execution.

Example Sentences
"The chef managed to execute his complex recipe perfectly on this busy weekend night." verb
"She plans to execute her new recipe tonight for dinner." verb
"The team will execute their marketing strategy next week." verb
"He learned how to execute a perfect jump shot in basketball practice." verb
See Also
execution bailiff jump sandbox executest lynch crontab high bailiff
Related Terms
Broader Terms (hypernyms)
kill punish murder complete effect enforce sign
Narrower Terms (hyponyms)
crucify burn hang get over run consummate do dispatch give step click off carry pipe up declaim serenade cut corners stunt cut blaze away scamp churn out premier star appear rehearse improvise interpret conduct make

Origin

The word comes from Old French and originally meant "to follow up" or "carry out." It is derived from Latin, where it referred to going through with a deed or punishment.

Rhyming Words
ute jute lute tute cute gute bute mute nute plute knute scute acute klute toute route glute clute shute haute
Compare
Execute vs