lynch

verb

lynched; lynching; lynches

transitive verb

: to put to death (as by hanging) by mob action without legal approval or permission
The accused killer was lynched by an angry mob.
lyncher noun

Examples of lynch in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Till, a Black 14-year-old boy, was kidnapped, beaten and lynched in Mississippi in August 1955 after being accused of whistling at a white woman. Deena Zaru, ABC News, 17 Oct. 2024 The last bout of political violence in the United States started with the right, as segregationists in the South lynched Black Americans and murdered civil rights activists in the 1950s and early 1960s. Rachel Kleinfeld, Foreign Affairs, 19 July 2024 When Emmett Till was abducted and lynched in Mississippi, a few hundred miles away, Lewis was fifteen, just a year older than Till. Kelefa Sanneh, The New Yorker, 7 Oct. 2024 This public lynching Combs speaks of may include the 120 additional accusers who have come forward to accuse the artist of abuse as far back as 1991. Elizabeth Ayoola, Essence, 7 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for lynch 

Word History

Etymology

after lynch law

First Known Use

1835, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of lynch was in 1835

Dictionary Entries Near lynch

Cite this Entry

“Lynch.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lynch. Accessed 5 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

lynch

verb
: to put to death (as by hanging) by mob action without legal authority
lyncher noun

Legal Definition

lynch

transitive verb
: to put to death (as by hanging) by mob action without legal sanction
lyncher noun

More from Merriam-Webster on lynch

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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