American English
/ˈɛk.səˌkjut̚/
3 syllables · Stress the first syllable.
to do what a plan, order, or strategy requires
Practice out loudto do what a plan, order, or strategy requires
The team executed the plan perfectly.
The officer executed the order immediately.
execute a plan · execute an order · execute a strategy
execute + a plan/order/strategy
execute + something + successfully
to sign a legal document so that it becomes official
Both companies executed the agreement.
The contract was executed by the buyer.
In legal English, execute a contract means sign it officially. It does not simply mean perform the contract.
execute a contract · execute an agreement
execute + a contract/agreement/document
be executed by + a person
to make a computer program run, or to make a computer carry out a command
Click here to execute the program.
The computer executed the command in seconds.
In everyday computer English, run is often more natural: run the program.
execute a program · execute a command · execute code
execute + a program/command
execute + code
to kill someone as an official punishment, usually after a court has ordered it
The prisoner was executed at dawn.
He was executed for murder.
execute a prisoner · be executed by lethal injection
execute + a prisoner/someone
be executed for + a crime
Before -ing, drop the final e: executing, not executeing.