sentence

sentence — noun

1. A complete unit of words arranged in grammatically correct order that communicat

1.nounB1
Definition

A complete unit of words arranged in grammatically correct order that communicates a full message — for example, telling someone something, asking a question, or issuing a command.

Example

Haruto wrote a long sentence on the whiteboard to show the grammar rule.

subject–verb structure in a declarative sentence

The first sentence of an essay should clearly state the main topic.

Common collocations
  • complete sentence
  • grammatical sentence
  • simple sentence
  • complex sentence
  • topic sentence
Synonyms
  • clause

    a clause is a smaller unit that may form part of a sentence; not all clauses are full sentences

  • phrase

    a phrase is a group of words that does not contain a subject–verb pair and cannot stand alone as a sentence

Common Mistakes

A sentence don't need a verb.
A sentence needs a verb.
A complete sentence in English requires a main verb.

2. The penalty set by a court for a person found guilty of a crime, such as time in

2.nounB1
Definition

The penalty set by a court for a person found guilty of a crime, such as time in prison, a fine, or community service.

Example

Diego received a three-year prison sentence for stealing cars from a dealership.

prison sentence for [crime]

The judge reduced Folake's sentence because she cooperated with the police.

Common collocations
  • prison sentence
  • life sentence
  • death sentence
  • suspended sentence
  • harsh sentence
  • light sentence
  • serve a sentence
  • reduce a sentence
  • hand down a sentence
Synonyms
  • penalty

    penalty is broader and can include non-court punishments such as sports fines or late fees

  • punishment

    punishment is a general term; sentence specifically refers to a court-ordered punishment for a crime

Antonyms
  • acquittal

    acquittal means being found not guilty, so no sentence is given

Common Mistakes

The judge gave him a sentence of five years prison.
The judge gave him a sentence of five years in prison.
Use 'in prison' after a time expression.

3. The formal moment in court when a judge publicly announces the punishment decide

3.nounB2
Definition

The formal moment in court when a judge publicly announces the punishment decided for a convicted person.

Example

The judge will pass sentence on Monday at the city courthouse.

pass sentence — idiom for pronounce punishment

Under sentence of death, Sayaka spent her last days with her family.

Common collocations
  • pass sentence
  • pronounce sentence
  • deliver sentence
  • read out the sentence
Synonyms
  • judgment

    judgment is a broader legal term that can include the verdict and the reasoning; sentence is specifically the punishment announcement

Usage Note

Distinguish from noun sense 2: sense 2 is the penalty itself (e.g. 'a 5-year sentence'), while this sense is the act of declaring it (e.g. 'pass sentence'). Frequently used with the verb 'pass', 'read out', or 'pronounce'.

Idioms

pass sentence

idiom

For a judge to officially announce what punishment a convicted person will receive.

The judge will pass sentence on the convicted man next Friday at the Central Court.

under sentence of death

idiom

Having been officially told by a court that one will be executed as punishment for a crime.

The prisoner spent three years on death row under sentence of death before the appeal succeeded.

sentence — verb

Word family

  • sentencing
    nounB2
  • sentenced
    adjectiveB2
  • sentential
    adjectiveC1

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/2

Sentence, penalty, punishment, and conviction are closely related but differ in scope. Penalty is the broadest term and can apply to any fine or disadvantage for breaking a rule, whether in law, sports, or finance — for example, a late-payment penalty. Punishment is also broad and covers any consequence for wrongdoing, from a parent grounding a child to a court ordering prison. Conviction is the legal finding of guilt itself, not the consequence — a person can be convicted and then await sentencing. Sentence is narrower than penalty and punishment; it refers specifically to the court-ordered consequence after a conviction — typically a prison term, fine, or community service. In news reports, you read 'The judge handed down a five-year sentence' but not 'a five-year punishment.' To remember the difference: a conviction answers 'guilty or not?'; a sentence answers 'what happens now?'

penalty ↗punishment ↗conviction ↗sentence ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • pass sentence
  • serve a sentence
  • hand down a sentence
  • under sentence of

Prepositions

Etymology

LatinOld FrenchEnglish

Sentence entered English in the 1200s from Old French 'sentence', meaning 'judgment, decree, opinion'. The French word came from Latin 'sententia', which originally meant 'way of thinking' or 'opinion', derived from 'sentire' (to feel, to think). The legal meaning — a court's judgment of punishment — was the earliest sense in English. The grammar meaning — a complete unit of words expressing a thought — developed in the 1400s through the idea of the 'sense' or 'meaning' carried by a group of words.