cruel and unusual punishment

noun

: punishment that is very harsh and too severe for the crime

The law forbids cruel and unusual punishment.

Examples of cruel and unusual punishment in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Experts say proper testing confirms the drugs will be effective and safeguards against unconstitutional cruel and unusual punishment. —Adam Tamburin, Axios, 15 Oct. 2024

Phoenix officials repeatedly said their hands were tied by a federal appeals court ruling that said criminalizing homelessness without available shelter violated the Constitution's protections against cruel and unusual punishment. —Taylor Seely, The Arizona Republic, 7 Oct. 2024

Earlier this year, attorneys representing a group of South Carolina's death row inmates argued before the South Carolina Supreme Court that both electrocution and the firing squad as execution methods should constitute cruel and unusual punishment. —CBS News, 19 Sep. 2024

In a 6-3 decision, the justices held that laws penalizing homeless people for sleeping or pitching tents in public spaces do not constitute cruel and unusual punishment. —Ruben Vives, Los Angeles Times, 13 Sep. 2024

Legal Definition

cruel and unusual punishment

noun

cruel and un·​usu·​al punishment

: punishment that is offensive to the contemporary morality or jurisprudence (as by being degrading, inflicting unnecessary and intentional pain, or being disproportionate to the offense)

nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted

—U.S. Constitution amend. VIII

see also Gregg v. Georgia compare corporal punishment, death penalty

Note: A cruel and unusual punishment is essentially one that the courts consider to violate the Eighth Amendment based on a variety of criteria. The interpretation of what constitutes cruel and unusual punishment has changed over time and has varied from jurisdiction to jurisdiction. Most forms of corporal punishment formerly used at common law have been found to be cruel and unusual punishments.