What does sentencing mean?
Sentencing is the legal process of deciding and imposing the punishment for someone who has been convicted of an offence. The judge may consider the seriousness of the offence, the defendant's circumstances, previous convictions, relevant legislation, and sentencing guidelines. The result may be a custodial sentence, a fine, community service, or another legally available sanction. The related noun “sentence” denotes the punishment itself, whereas “sentencing” emphasizes the decision-making process and often the hearing at which the outcome is announced. Although the word is most common in courts and legal reporting, it also appears in wider discussion of criminal justice, including disputes over sentencing severity and consistency. Sentencing policies are especially important because they determine how effectively the law distinguishes between different kinds of offending and how fairly punishments are applied.
The legal process of deciding and imposing the punishment for a person convicted of an offence.
"The sentencing was postponed while the court obtained further medical evidence."
The word can denote the overall process, the hearing, or the act of imposing a sentence.
To impose a legally prescribed punishment on someone who has been convicted of an offence.
"The court sentenced the defendant to two years in prison."
As a verb form, “sentencing” is normally used as a gerund or present participle, as in “sentencing guidelines.”
The plural is grammatical but uncommon; writers usually use “sentencing hearings,” “sentencing decisions,” or another explicit noun instead.
"The two sentencings reflected very different levels of culpability."
A sentence is the punishment itself; sentencing is the judge's process of choosing and imposing it.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does sentencing come from?
“Sentencing” was formed in English by adding the suffix “-ing” to “sentence.” The noun “sentence” entered Middle English from Old French “sentence,” which came from Latin “sententia,” meaning an opinion or judgement, ultimately from the Latin verb “sentire,” “to feel” or “to perceive.” The same Latin root also underlies related English words such as “sentiment,” “sententious,” and “consent.”
Related word forms
How sentencing is actually used
In legal use, “sentencing” normally refers to the stage of proceedings after guilt has been established. It may refer to the overall decision-making process, a sentencing hearing, or the imposition of a particular punishment. The related noun “sentence” denotes the punishment itself.