executioner
Carries out sentences
An executioner is a person who carries out death sentences—historically by hanging, beheading, or other methods prescribed by law.
The role extends figuratively to anyone who delivers a decisive end: The closer served as the team's executioner in the ninth inning.
An executioner acts on authority, distinguishing the role from murderer or assassin.
One who kills condemned
- headsmanOne who beheads
- axemanOne who chops wood
- gallowsExecution hanging apparatus
- nooseLoop that constricts
scaffold · block · guillotine · garrote · gibbet · sword · halter · rope
One who beheads
- axemanOne who chops wood
- beheadingRemoval of head
- quarteringDivision by four
- drawingMarks forming a picture
guillotine · plaza · scaffold · block · broadaxe · swordsman · masked · medieval
Officially declared unfit
- sentenceComplete thought, grammatically
- dispatchSend with speed
- dutyRequired moral task
- officialAuthority-sanctioned person or status
warrant · warden · witness · chamber · gurney · clemency · stay · appeals
Right and wrong principles
- dilemmaForced choice between undesirables
- retributionPunishment for wrongdoing
- justiceFair treatment under law
- mercyCompassion toward offenders
deterrence · cruelty · humane · barbaric · abolition · debate · culpability · innocence
Frame for holding items
- thumbscrewCompression torture device
- flayingRemoving skin from body
- disembowelmentRemoval of intestines
- brandingCreating distinctive identity
keelhauling · wheel · impalement · tormentor · inquisition · confession · prolonged · agony
Intense anticipatory fear
- terrorExtreme, overwhelming fear
- horrorExtreme fear or disgust
- nightmareFrightening dream causing wakefulness
- anonymousOf unknown origin
faceless · cold · methodical · detachment · desensitization · burden · trauma · guilt
hangman
One who kills condemned
noose · scaffold · block · guillotine · garrote · gibbet · sword · halter · rope · blade
headsman
One who beheads
- axemanOne who chops wood
- beheadingRemoval of head
- quarteringDivision by four
drawing · guillotine · plaza · scaffold · block · broadaxe · swordsman · masked · medieval · Tudor
condemned
Officially declared unfit
official · warrant · warden · witness · chamber · gurney · clemency · stay · appeals · procession
morality
Right and wrong principles
- dilemmaForced choice between undesirables
- retributionPunishment for wrongdoing
- justiceFair treatment under law
mercy · deterrence · cruelty · humane · barbaric · abolition · debate · culpability · innocence · irreversible
rack
Frame for holding items
- thumbscrewCompression torture device
- flayingRemoving skin from body
- disembowelmentRemoval of intestines
branding · keelhauling · wheel · impalement · tormentor · inquisition · confession · prolonged · agony · dungeon
dread
Intense anticipatory fear
- terrorExtreme, overwhelming fear
- horrorExtreme fear or disgust
- nightmareFrightening dream causing wakefulness
anonymous · faceless · cold · methodical · detachment · desensitization · burden · trauma · guilt · conscience
- Old Jobsblacksmith, farrier, wheelwright, chandler, apothecary
- Ancient RomeRome, Julius Caesar, Caesar, gladiator, gladiators
- ancient occupationssoldier, merchant, farmer, shepherd, carpenter
- dangersdanger, peril, hazard, risk, menace
- historical rolesking, queen, emperor, knight, peasant
- old occupationsblacksmith, carpenter, miller, farmer, shepherd
executionervictim
One harmed by another
condemned · prisoner · death row inmate · convict · casualty
- public executionWitnessed state killing
- legal executionLawful killing by state
- stay of executionTemporary halt to punishment
- judge, jury and executionerComplete autonomous legal authority
- mass executionKilling of many simultaneously
- execution chamberRoom for state killings