debt to society
idiom
—used in phrases such as pay your debt to society to refer to being punished for committing a crime
After 10 years in prison, he has paid his debt to society and is a free man.
Examples of debt to society in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
However, for many, pardons or commutations of sentences come years after serving time in prison and hardly have the effect of forgiveness when a debt to society has already been paid.
—
Walter Pavlo, Forbes, 3 Dec. 2024
Erik and Lyle Menendez no longer pose a public safety risk and have paid their debt to society, Gascón told reporters.
—Tim Stelloh, NBC News, 9 Nov. 2024
But with new admissible evidence emerging, another question lingers: have the country’s most notorious bad boys of Beverly Hills, Erik and Lyle Menendez, finally paid their debt to society?
—Jeetendr Sehdev, Forbes, 28 Oct. 2024
For now, Fetty has to pay his debt to society while plotting his comeback.
—Angel Diaz, Billboard, 22 Apr. 2024
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.
Walter Pavlo, Forbes, 3 Dec. 2024
Erik and Lyle Menendez no longer pose a public safety risk and have paid their debt to society, Gascón told reporters.
—Tim Stelloh, NBC News, 9 Nov. 2024
But with new admissible evidence emerging, another question lingers: have the country’s most notorious bad boys of Beverly Hills, Erik and Lyle Menendez, finally paid their debt to society?
—Jeetendr Sehdev, Forbes, 28 Oct. 2024
For now, Fetty has to pay his debt to society while plotting his comeback.
—Angel Diaz, Billboard, 22 Apr. 2024
Dictionary Entries Near debt to society
Cite this Entry
“Debt to society.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/debt%20to%20society. Accessed 22 Dec. 2024.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share