Jane Doe

noun

: a woman who is a party to legal proceedings and whose true name is unknown or withheld

Examples of Jane Doe in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Then, in February 2022, the Mohave County Sheriff's Office’s Special Investigations Unit (SIU) retrieved Jane Doe’s fingerprints. Charna Flam, PEOPLE, 24 Sep. 2025 According to Krissi, locals gave the Jane Doe a nickname. Veronica Fulton, NBC news, 21 Sep. 2025 The Jane Doe plaintiff brought her lawsuit in February. Nancy Dillon, Rolling Stone, 12 Sep. 2025 The woman, referred to as Jane Doe in the lawsuit, is suing Uber for negligence and negligent training and supervision of its drivers. Julia Marnin, Sacbee.com, 10 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for Jane Doe

Word History

First Known Use

1703, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of Jane Doe was in 1703

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Jane Doe.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Jane%20Doe. Accessed 30 Sep. 2025.

Kids Definition

Jane Doe

noun
: a woman who is a party to legal proceedings and whose true name is unknown or withheld
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!