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Recent Examples of headsman
Several other leading figures of the period ended their days on the executioner’s block, including the unhappy Comte de Chalais, whose headsman bungled the job and ended up frantically chopping away at his screaming victim with a small hatchet.
—
David A. Bell, Foreign Affairs, 1 Mar. 2012
Even if your reality is the headsman’s block!
—Helen Shaw, Vulture, 4 Oct. 2021
Two other men, subjects of excellent Holbein drawings in the show, would keep appointments with the headsman.
—Peter Schjeldahl, The New Yorker, 21 Feb. 2022
Once upon a time, the queen could have sent rebels to the Tower and the headsman’s block, even relatives—especially relatives.
—Matt Seaton, The New York Review of Books, 9 Mar. 2021
The British prime minister has assembled a trio of headsmen to sever Britain from the mainland.
—Vanityfair.com, VanityFair.com, 22 Mar. 2017
David A. Bell, Foreign Affairs, 1 Mar. 2012
Even if your reality is the headsman’s block!
—Helen Shaw, Vulture, 4 Oct. 2021
Two other men, subjects of excellent Holbein drawings in the show, would keep appointments with the headsman.
—Peter Schjeldahl, The New Yorker, 21 Feb. 2022
Once upon a time, the queen could have sent rebels to the Tower and the headsman’s block, even relatives—especially relatives.
—Matt Seaton, The New York Review of Books, 9 Mar. 2021
The British prime minister has assembled a trio of headsmen to sever Britain from the mainland.
—Vanityfair.com, VanityFair.com, 22 Mar. 2017
Recent Examples of Synonyms for headsman
Noun
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Three executioners will fire from behind a small opening, positioned approximately 15 feet away.—
Tom Rogers,
Newsweek,
22 Feb. 2025
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One of the film’s episodes depicts a day in the life of an executioner.—
Marta Balaga,
Variety,
31 Jan. 2025
Noun
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Did Erik Menendez really play hangman with Leslie Abramson in court?—
Jessica Sager,
People.com,
27 Sep. 2024
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The second story is about Eichmann’s prison guard, Haim (Yoav Levi), a Moroccan Jew who takes pains to make sure his charge is unharmed and delivered to the hangman’s noose in as good a shape as possible.—
Christian Blauvelt,
IndieWire,
28 June 2024
Noun
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The executor even accused Daniel of framing Brent for a bogus plot to commit mass murder at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York; Brent was detained by police in a holding cell for nearly 24 hours until being released due to lack of evidence.—
Samira Asma-Sadeque,
People.com,
12 Feb. 2025
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According to the Times, the new executors objected to the film after seeing a cut.—
Emily Zemler,
Rolling Stone,
7 Feb. 2025
Noun
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The mysterious third murderer involved in the killing of Banquo (Michael Boatman) is revealed here to be one of the Weird Sisters.—
Charles McNulty,
Los Angeles Times,
19 Feb. 2025
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Can Greg, a murderer by proxy whose past likely holds other dark secrets, escape what the recording Sarah Catherine Hook’s Piper listens to, also in the premiere, describes as the prison of identity?—
Judy Berman,
TIME,
17 Feb. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Headsman.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/headsman. Accessed 3 Mar. 2025.
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