sortie

noun

sor·​tie ˈsȯr-tē How to pronounce sortie (audio)
sȯr-ˈtē
Synonyms of sortienext
1
: a sudden issuing of troops from a defensive position against the enemy
2
: one mission or attack by a single plane
3
a
: foray, raid
b
: excursion, expedition
diving sorties
sortie intransitive verb
sortied; sortieing

Examples of sortie in a Sentence

an occasional sortie to the city to rummage through some of its numerous used-book stores
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.
The flight lasted 81 minutes and was based at Edwards Air Force Base; NASA pilot Jim Less flew the milestone sortie. Meghan Bartels, Scientific American, 6 June 2026 Pérez estimates that Cuba may have only six to eight operational aircraft capable of flying combat sorties, including aging MiG-29s and MiG-23s. Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 28 May 2026 Kouza, who owns a Pagani Huayra but opted for a Ferrari 296 for this supercar sortie went on to articulate the consensus of every participant. Viju Mathew, Robb Report, 11 May 2026 Completing a 180-day plan in 73 days suggests the aircraft performed consistently across multiple sorties. Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 7 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for sortie

Word History

Etymology

French, from Middle French, from sortir to go out, leave

First Known Use

1778, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of sortie was in 1778

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Sortie.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sortie. Accessed 14 Jun. 2026.

Kids Definition

sortie

noun
sor·​tie ˈsȯrt-ē How to pronounce sortie (audio)
sȯr-ˈtē
: a sudden rushing out of troops from a position of defense against the enemy : sally
sortie verb

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