in the first degree

idiom

: of the most serious type : deserving the harshest punishment
She was accused of murder in the first degree.

Examples of in the first degree in a Sentence

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Sullivan was charged with assault in the first degree, kidnapping in the second degree, unlawful restraint in the first degree, cruelty to persons and reckless endangerment in the first degree, according to officials at the Waterbury Police Department. Sean Neumann, People.com, 15 Apr. 2025 The charges Sullivan faces include assault in the first degree, kidnapping in the second degree, unlawful restraint in the first degree, cruelty to persons and reckless endangerment in the first degree. Jessica Schladebeck, New York Daily News, 26 Mar. 2025 Under state law, murder in the first degree only applies to a narrow list of aggravating circumstances, including when the victim is a judge, a police officer or a first responder, or when the killing involves a murder-for-hire or an intent to commit terrorism. Emma Tucker, CNN, 21 Feb. 2025 Graham is charged with first-degree kidnapping and conspiracy to commit kidnapping in the first degree. Staff Report, Hartford Courant, 20 Jan. 2025 See All Example Sentences for in the first degree

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“In the first degree.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/in%20the%20first%20degree. Accessed 21 Apr. 2025.

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