The convicted drug dealer was willing to comply with the authorities to have his death sentence reduced to a life sentence.
Source: tatoeba (1934)
Sentence
/ˈsɛntəns/
Synonyms for "sentence" (215 found)
Ranked by relevance and common usage.
Closest matches (43)
Strong matches (65)
Noun(9 words)
condemncondemnationcondemneddeclaredispositionexcommunicatingimprisonmentjudgmentjudgment of conviction
condemnationconsiderationconstructionconvictconvictioncrackcurrent sayingdamndamnationdeath sentencedeath warrantdecisiondeclarationdecreedeliverancedenouncedenouncementdenunciatedenunciationdetermination
Show 31 more words
devotediagnosisdictatedictumdistichdoomepigramexclamationexcommunicateexcommunicationexpressionfasciclefindfind againstfind forfind guiltyfindingfoliofront mattergatheringgnomegolden sayinggreetingguilty verdictheaded groupidiomidiotisminterjectionjudgejudgementjudgment
Related words (107)
landmark decisionlocutionmanner of speakingmaximmentionmoralmotmottonotenoun phrasenumberobservationoracleordainorderpageparagraphparthian shotpass judgmentpass sentence
Show 73 more words
pass sentence onpassagepeculiar expressionpenalizepenaltyperiodphrasal idiomphrasepithy sayingpositionprecedentpreceptprescriptprognosispronouncepronounce judgmentpronounce onpronounce sentencepronouncementproscribeproscriptionproverbproverbial sayingproverbspunishpunishmentquestionrapreflectionremarkreportresolutionreturn a verdictrulerulingsawsaysayingsectionsententious expressionset phrasesheetsignatureslokastandard phrasestatementstock sayingsubjoindersutrasyntactic structureteachingtermtextthoughtturn of expressionturn of phraseusageutter a judgmentutteranceverb complexverb phraseverbalismverdictverdict of guiltyverseway of speakingwisdomwisdom literaturewise sayingwitticismwordword-groupwords of wisdom
Noun(14 words)
language unitspenalizepenaltyprison termpronouncepropositionpunishpunishmentsentencingstatementtimeutteranceutterance exampleverdict
Choosing the right synonym
- Closest matches in this entry: conviction, acquittal, act on, action, adage.
- Sentence evidence is available for sentence, so synonym choice can be checked against real usage rather than a flat word list.
- Ranking signals come from wiktionary, wordnet, moby, opengloss, and related lexical sources.
Synonym selection checklist
- Match the part of speech before comparing meanings.
- Check whether the synonym changes intensity, formality, or emotional tone.
- Read the replacement inside the full sentence, not just beside "sentence".
- Prefer the clearest word over the most unusual word when writing for speed or comprehension.
When not to replace "sentence"
Keep "sentence" when the sentence already sounds natural, when a synonym would add unintended emphasis, or when readers need the most familiar wording. A synonym should clarify or sharpen the message, not simply make the sentence look more varied.
If two options seem close, choose the one that best matches the audience and purpose of the sentence.
Replacement workflow
1. Preserve meaning
Choose a synonym only if it keeps the core idea of "sentence" intact in the sentence you are editing.
2. Tune tone
Check whether the replacement sounds more formal, casual, emotional, technical, or forceful than the original word.
3. Re-read context
Read the full sentence after the swap. Keep the synonym only when the sentence becomes clearer or more precise.
Review note: Synonym lists are ranked with lexical data and reviewed for practical writing value. Use the comparison notes, sentence evidence, and source labels together; a high-ranking synonym can still be wrong when the audience, register, or grammar changes.
Final fit check
After choosing a replacement for "sentence", read the sentence once for meaning and once for rhythm. The best synonym should feel natural in the full sentence, not only accurate in a word list.
If the synonym makes the sentence slower, vaguer, or more dramatic than intended, keep "sentence" or choose a simpler alternative from the closest-match group.
Related word relations
OpenGloss and ConceptNet supply richer edges like generalizations, collocations, and derivations.
More general
21 entriesactannouncecommunicatecommunication unitcourt orderdeclarefinal decisionfinal judgmentjudicial decisionlanguage elementlegal actionlegal decisionlinguistic stringlinguistic unitofficial actsanction
Showing 16 of 21 words.
More specific
12 entriesCollocations
8 entriescommuted sentencedeath sentencelife sentencepass sentenceprison sentencesentence to deathsentence to prisonsentencing hearing
Inflections
3 entriesDerivations
3 entriesSample sentences
35 total sentences available.
All you have to do is to learn this sentence by heart.
Source: tatoeba (17652)
Compare your sentence with the one on the blackboard.
Source: tatoeba (17659)
Some years ago, learning that one had tuberculosis amounted to hearing a sentence of death.
Source: tatoeba (24465)
Showing 4 of 35 available sentences.
Common questions
What are the closest synonyms for "sentence"?
Closest matches include conviction, acquittal, act on, action, adage.
How should I check whether a synonym fits "sentence"?
Compare the replacement against real sentence context. This entry includes sample sentences so you can check tone, grammar, and meaning before swapping words.