escort

1 of 2

noun

es·​cort ˈe-ˌskȯrt 

plural escorts

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)

escort

2 of 2

verb

es·​cort i-ˈskȯrt 

e-, 

ˈe-ˌskȯrt 

escorted; escorting; escorts

transitive verb

: to accompany as an escort

Synonyms of escort

Noun

• guide
• guard
• attendant
• companion

Verb

• accompany

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

Noun

But military experts have told ABC News that the Navy cannot begin escort duty until the mine threat is addressed. —Chris Boccia, ABC News, 19 Mar. 2026

This casting also gives more oomph to the musical’s love quadrilateral, which pairs Queenie and Burrs with a B-couple, the rising star Kate (the ever-magnetic Adrienne Warren) and her escort, Black (an exceptionally suave Jelani Alladin), who are here both darker-skinned. —Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 19 Mar. 2026

Verb

By the summer of 1987, US Navy and Coast Guard ships had moved into the Gulf in numbers to escort the former Kuwaiti tankers. —Brad Lendon, CNN Money, 22 Mar. 2026

The incident occurred while he was being escorted out of Señor Frogs. —Bri Buckley, CBS News, 21 Mar. 2026

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

Phrases Containing escort

• destroyer escort

Rhymes for escort

• abort
• airport
• alport
• athwart
• carport
• comport
• consort
• deport
• distort
• exhort
• extort
• forecourt

Kids Definition

escort

1 of 2 noun

es·​cort ˈes-ˌkȯ(ə)rt 

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

escort

2 of 2 verb

es·​cort is-ˈkȯ(ə)rt  es-ˈ 

ˈes-ˌ

: to go along with as an escort