# execution

/ˌɛksəkˈjuʃən/ (US) · /ˌɛksɪkjˈuːʃən/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/execution
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. carrying out a plan

noun · CEFR B2

the act of doing something that has been planned or designed.

For teachers: the act of performing or carrying out a task, plan, or piece of work to completion.

- The idea for the new business was great, but the execution was poor.
- While the strategic vision was sound, the project failed due to poor execution at the local level.

Usage: Often used with 'of' to describe the task being completed.

### 2. death penalty

noun · CEFR B2

the legal killing of someone as a punishment for a crime.

For teachers: the carrying out of a sentence of death on a condemned person.

- The prisoner is facing execution for his crimes.
- The governor refused to grant a stay of execution despite the emergence of new DNA evidence.

Usage: Usually uncountable when referring to the concept, but countable when referring to specific events.

### 3. artistic skill

noun · CEFR C1 · Academic

the way someone performs a piece of music or creates a work of art.

For teachers: the manner or style in which an artistic work is produced or a technique is applied.

- The pianist's execution of the difficult piece was perfect.
- Critics praised the painter's technical execution, though they found the subject matter somewhat derivative.

### 4. computing

noun · CEFR C1 · Technical

the process of a computer running a program or following instructions.

For teachers: the process by which a computer or virtual machine carries out the instructions of a computer program.

- The execution of the script took only a few seconds.
- The software architecture was designed to optimize the execution of parallel threads across multiple processor cores.

### 5. legal validity

noun · CEFR C2 · Formal · Technical

the act of making a legal document, like a contract, valid by signing it.

For teachers: the formal completion of a legal instrument, such as a contract or will, typically by signing and delivering it.

- We need to witness the execution of the will.
- The validity of the agreement was challenged on the grounds that the execution of the document was not properly witnessed.

Usage: Commonly used in the phrase 'execution of a contract' or 'execution of a deed'.

## Examples

- The team's execution of the plan was perfect.
- While the strategy looked good on paper, its actual execution proved difficult due to a lack of funding.
- The board praised the CEO for her flawless execution of the merger, noting that the integration of the two companies occurred ahead of schedule and under budget.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.