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.
After spending close to seven years in prison, Weinstein, 74, has still served less than half of his 16-year-sentence in California, where he was found guilty of forcible rape, forcible oral copulation and penetration by foreign object against Jane Doe 1. Caitlin Huston, HollywoodReporter, 25 June 2026 The bewildering time signatures that worked to scramble records like Jane Doe are still present, but they’re deployed to different ends, consumed by massive grooves. Alex Robert Ross, Pitchfork, 24 June 2026 Jane Doe 2 sued Allen for battery, assault, invasion of privacy and emotional distress, and also sued his bodyguard and the company that employed his bodyguard. Ilana Kaplan, PEOPLE, 23 June 2026 The former classmate filed her own lawsuit against Griffin in March, and used the name Jane Doe to protect her privacy. Emily St. Martin, Los Angeles Times, 19 June 2026 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

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Cite this Entry

“Jane Doe.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Jane%20Doe. Accessed 4 Jul. 2026.

Kids Definition

Jane Doe

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