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sentence

sentence

768 7.0
Punishment a court gives to someone found guilty, often prison time
  • noun
  • /ˈsɛntəns/
  • Specialized
: pena
  • 'If you have nothing to say, the sentence will be carried out.'
  • prison sentence
  • serve a sentence
  • impose a sentence

He served his entire sentence in prison.

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Examples

  • He served his entire sentence in prison.

  • Were you promised a lighter sentence if you went on the stand?

  • Before sentence is carried out, do you have any final words?

  • The sentence will be carried out.

  • Still, we recommend a sentence of time served.

  • During the hearing, John protested the sentence, saying that he had three children to support.

    Academic text (1992)
  • We stood at the bench to hear our punishment, the sentence for our crimes.

    Fiction book (1990)
  • That's a life sentence.

  • Although rumors have been circulating about a possible plea bargain to lesser charges or a probated sentence, District Attorney Danny Buck Davidson has shocked East Texas by filing first degree murder charges against Tiede, which could result in a life sentence.

  • In July, the pair was found guilty and given a sentence of community service and a fine.

Synonyms

punishment
vssentence
613 1.3

An action that makes someone suffer for breaking a rule, like a fine or time in prison

is the court's formal penalty given after legal conviction
time
vssentence
  • Informal
353 9.1

A period spent in prison as punishment

focuses on the court's decision and the official penalty rather than just custody duration
imprisonment
vssentence
  • Formal
80 4.0

Being kept in prison as a punishment by law

is the court's formal penalty or decision not only the state of custody
judgment
vssentence
  • Formal
76 2.6

A formal decision given by a court in a legal case

focuses on the court's penalty and the prison duration rather than the legal decision
prison term
vssentence
21 4.2

A period of time someone must spend in jail as punishment for a crime

also covers the court's decision as well as the time to serve
condemnation
vssentence
  • Formal
1 7.4

A final court decision that finds someone guilty and gives a punishment

focuses on the court's penalty rather than on declaring guilt

Antonyms

44 7.1

An official court decision that a person is not guilty of a crime

Compounds

83 5.7

A prison term that lasts for the rest of a person's life

63 5.2

An official punishment where a court orders someone to be put to death for a crime

The order of words and groups of words used to make sentences

5 5.1

Happening in the middle of a sentence while speaking or writing

simple sentence
  • Specialized
5 2.6

A sentence with just one clause and no extra clauses

A sentence that joins more than one full idea without proper punctuation or connecting words

declarative sentence
  • Specialized
2 3.5

A sentence that states a fact or idea

A sentence that tells the main idea of a paragraph

complex sentence
  • Specialized
1 3.5

A sentence with one main clause and one or more clauses that depend on it

A sentence that has two parts that can stand alone joined by a word like and

declaratory sentence
  • Specialized
1 6.0

A sentence that states a fact or opinion

periodic sentence
  • Literature
1 9.3

A sentence that puts the main idea at the end after other clauses

sentence stress
  • Specialized
1 3.9

Emphasis on some words or syllables in speech that changes rhythm and meaning

1 3.4

A sentence that asks a question and waits for an answer

loose sentence
  • Specialized
1 8.3

A way of writing where the main idea comes first and extra details follow

How Severe

death sentence
  • NSFW
63 5.2
life sentence
83 5.7
prison term
21 4.2
sentence
  • Specialized
768 7.0
fine
252 2.8

Surface Forms

sentence singular
sentences plural

Etymology

Sentence comes from the old Latin word sententia ('opinion' or 'judgment') and the root sentire ('to feel' or 'to think'). So a legal sentence is the judge's official decision about punishment.