plural escorts
Synonyms of escortnext
1
a(1)
: a person or group of persons accompanying another to give protection, provide supervision, or as a courtesy
a police escort
Visitors are not allowed to enter the building without an escort.
(2)
: a man who goes with a woman to a social event
(3)
: a person and especially a sex worker who is hired to go with someone to a social event
—often used before another noun
an escort service/agency
b
: a protective screen of warships or fighter planes or a single ship or plane used to fend off enemy attack from one or more vulnerable craft
2
: accompaniment by a person or an armed protector (such as a ship)
escorted; escorting; escorts

transitive verb

: to accompany as an escort

Examples of escort in a Sentence

Noun Visitors are not allowed to enter the building without an escort. The bombers were protected by a fighter escort. Everyone was surprised when she arrived at the party without an escort. Verb Several fighters escorted the bombers back to base. a student from the college escorted my parents and me on our tour of the campus
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.
Noun
Given the security situation in the region, a military escort would be needed for anyone to reach the body, the official added. — Nathan Jaccard, Miami Herald, 5 Oct. 2026 The planning is meant to create flexibility for the president and commanders overseeing the war, these people said, by moving up to three aircraft carriers and their escort ships into the region in November. — Dan Lamothe, Washington Post, 1 Oct. 2026
Verb
The remains, discovered at a Greek border area 60 years ago, were flown to the Bulgarian capital, Sofia, aboard a military aircraft that was escorted by Bulgarian air force fighter jets from the country's border with Greece. — Costas Kantouris, Arkansas Online, 4 Oct. 2026 Several people escorting Zuckerberg into the court were wearing the Meta Ray-Ban AI glasses. — Samantha Subin, CNBC, 4 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for escort

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle French escorte, from Italian scorta, from scorgere to guide, from Vulgar Latin *excorrigere, from Latin ex- + corrigere to make straight, correct — more at correct

First Known Use

Noun

1579, in the meaning defined at sense 1a(1)

Verb

1708, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of escort was in 1579

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Escort.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/escort. Accessed 6 Oct. 2026.

Kids Definition

1
: a person or group of persons accompanying another to give protection or show courtesy
2
: the man who goes on a date with a woman
3
: a protective screen of vehicles, warships, or planes
motorcycle escort
fighter escort
: to go along with as an escort
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