A more thorough explanation:

An executioner is a person who carries out the death sentence on behalf of the state. They are responsible for putting another person to death.

• In medieval times, the executioner was often a feared and despised figure in society.
• Today, in some countries, the death penalty is still carried out by an executioner.

The examples illustrate how an executioner is responsible for carrying out the death sentence. In medieval times, the executioner was often seen as a cruel and inhumane figure, while today, the use of the death penalty is a controversial issue in many countries.