electrocute

verb

elec·​tro·​cute i-ˈlek-trə-ˌkyüt How to pronounce electrocute (audio)
electrocuted; electrocuting

transitive verb

1
: to kill or severely injure by electric shock
Because of flawed electrical work by contractors, the bulletin stated, soldiers at U.S. bases in Iraq had received severe electrical shocks, and some had even been electrocuted.James Risen
But if a power outage occurs, the PV [photovoltaic] system has to shut down or it could electrocute utility workers who think they're working on dead lines.Popular Science
He was working on Pier 38 on the West Side of Manhattan when he was accidently electrocuted by a high-voltage wire. He suffered second- and third-degree burns and had to undergo painful skin grafts.Robert I. Friedman
2
: to execute (a criminal) by electricity
Two of the big fish, Emanuel (Mendy) Weiss and Louis Capone, ultimately were convicted and electrocuted with the boss himself …Scott Christianson
electrocution noun
Last year, we spent our vacation in a rustic cabin in Burgundy, where we … risked electrocution every time we recharged our laptop using the cabin's rustic, non-grounded electrical outlets. Laura Colby
In 1982, he was sentenced to death by lethal injection or electrocution. Lola Ogunnaike

Examples of electrocute in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
An El Paso, Texas, man vacationing at a private resort in Puerto Peñasco, Mexico, has died after getting electrocuted in a jacuzzi on Tuesday, according to reports. Greg Wehner, Fox News, 13 June 2024 The products specifically included in this order include carbon monoxide detectors that fail to alarm, numerous children’s pajamas that could catch fire and hair dryers that could electrocute people if dropped in water. Ramishah Maruf, CNN, 30 July 2024 Her savior arrives in the most unlikely of places with Billy Bob Thornton’s racist policeman, one of the men who assisted in electrocuting her husband. Nicholas Bell, SPIN, 31 July 2024 The Media Must-reads from The Post: A Trump shark’s tale: Whether to be eaten or electrocuted. Marianna Sotomayor, Washington Post, 26 July 2024 See all Example Sentences for electrocute 

Word History

Etymology

electr- + -cute (as in execute)

First Known Use

1889, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Time Traveler
The first known use of electrocute was in 1889

Dictionary Entries Near electrocute

Cite this Entry

“Electrocute.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/electrocute. Accessed 5 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

electrocute

verb
elec·​tro·​cute i-ˈlek-trə-ˌkyüt How to pronounce electrocute (audio)
electrocuted; electrocuting
1
: to execute (a criminal) by electricity
2
: to kill or injure by electric shock
electrocution noun

Medical Definition

electrocute

transitive verb
elec·​tro·​cute i-ˈlek-trə-ˌkyüt How to pronounce electrocute (audio)
electrocuted; electrocuting
1
: to kill or severely injure by electric shock
2
: to execute (a criminal) by electricity
electrocution noun

Legal Definition

electrocute

transitive verb
elec·​tro·​cute
electrocuted; electrocuting
: to execute (a convicted criminal) by electricity
electrocution noun
Etymology

electro-, combining form meaning “electric” + execute

More from Merriam-Webster on electrocute

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!