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 Making a crime out of involuntary homelessness was, that court ruled, unconstitutionally cruel and unusual punishment. Robert M. Hayes, New York Daily News, 19 June 2024 Raven Anderson believes her son suffered cruel and unusual punishment as his physical and mental health quickly deteriorated. Drake Bentley, Journal Sentinel, 12 June 2024 But in its Wednesday ruling, the 6th Circuit said Finley can proceed with his cruel and unusual punishment claim. Paul Egan, Detroit Free Press, 23 May 2024 Waupun inmates filed a federal lawsuit in October alleging the the conditions amounted to cruel and unusual punishment. CBS News, 5 June 2024 Those include new legal claims of cruel and unusual punishment over the eight times the execution team tried unsuccessfully to establish an IV in Creech’s body to administer the pentobarbital. Kevin Fixler, Idaho Statesman, 29 May 2024 The complaints filed Tuesday charge negligence, negligent hiring and cruel and unusual punishment. Alex Mann, Baltimore Sun, 12 Mar. 2024 For example, the court ruled in 2005 that imposing the death penalty on a youth under age 18 was cruel and unusual punishment. David G. Savage, Los Angeles Times, 18 Apr. 2024 This spring, the U.S. Supreme Court will rule on whether clearing encampments when there is no shelter available violates the Constitution’s ban on cruel and unusual punishment. Calmatters, The Mercury News, 16 Apr. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'cruel and unusual punishment.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Dictionary Entries Near cruel and unusual punishment

cruel

cruel and unusual punishment

cruel blow

Cite this Entry

“Cruel and unusual punishment.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cruel%20and%20unusual%20punishment. Accessed 4 Jul. 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 inflictedU.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.

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!