third degree

1 of 2

noun

1

a

: the subjection of a prisoner to mental or physical torture to extract a confession

In its ruling the Court also criticized contemporary interrogation practices, finding in effect that a psychological third degree had replaced the physical third degree.

—Edwin Dobb

b

: a long and intense period of questioning

I don't know what kind of first dates you are having, but it might benefit you to make them more casual … so a conversation won't become a third degree.

—Abigail Van Buren

—usually used with the

My mother put me through the third degree. Questions—questions—questions. She's driving me nuts!

—Judy Blume

Should anyone give you the third degree on your return to work, don't hesitate to become indignant and stomp out of the room.

—Jeff Foxworthy

2

US : the level of a crime that is less than second degree and warrants less severe punishment

third-degree

2 of 2

adjective

third-de·​gree ˈthərd-di-ˈgrē 

1

US, of a crime : of a level of seriousness that is less than second-degree : warranting punishment but less severe punishment than that for a second-degree crime

2

: causing or characterized by a severe level of injury

a third-degree concussion

see also third-degree burn

Examples of third degree in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Celebrity deaths 2025: Remembering the stars who've died this year A year later, Kiker was arrested on a charge of domestic violence in the third degree. —Ryan Coleman, EW.com, 13 Mar. 2025

At the time, the protesters inside Hamilton Hall were ordered to leave or face expulsion or even charges of burglary in the third degree, criminal mischief and trespassing. —Sareen Habeshian, Axios, 13 Mar. 2025

Adjective

The mother was charged with two second-degree counts of aggravated assault, two counts of endangering the welfare of a child, one count of first-degree witness tampering with threat of force, and one count of third-degree hindering, per Daily Voice. —Escher Walcott, People.com, 22 Mar. 2025

Once the altercation was reported to school administrators, cops were called to the school and took Ventura into custody at 3:45 p.m. Police charged him with strangulation, criminal obstruction of breathing, third-degree assault, harassment, and endangering the welfare of a child. —Thomas Tracy, New York Daily News, 21 Mar. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1865, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Adjective

1893, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for third degree

• agree
• allee
• banshee
• beastly
• bibi
• bowsprit
• carefree
• cerci
• chablis
• cowpea
• crappie
• crappy

Kids Definition

third degree

noun

: brutal treatment of a prisoner by the police in order to get a confession

Medical Definition

third-degree

adjective

: causing or characterized by a severe level of injury

Third-degree frostbite involves skin and deeper subcutaneous tissues, resulting in the formation of hemorrhagic blisters as well as skin necrosis with permanent nerve damage.

—Emergency Medicine Reports

see also third-degree burn compare first-degree, second-degree

Legal Definition

third degree

noun

: the grade given to the third most serious forms of crimes

third-degree adjective