: 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
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Weeks later, after Carter declined to engage, Buzbee publicly identified him as the previously unnamed John Doe co-defendant in Jane Doe’s lawsuit, according to Carter. Nancy Dillon, Rolling Stone, 11 Sep. 2026 Genesis Health Clubs lawsuit Jane Doe’s parents enrolled her in personal training sessions at the Genesis gym located at 8600 Ward Parkway in Kansas City. Laura Bauer, Kansas City Star, 6 Sep. 2026 The video showed Babb in his uniform transporting Jane Doe in the patrol vehicle, according to the lawsuit. Rosalio Ahumada, Sacbee.com, 3 Sep. 2026 The women, suing collectively under the pseudonym Jane Doe, accused Bank of America of ignoring suspicious transactions by Epstein, who died by suicide in 2019 while awaiting trial. Aaron Katersky, ABC News, 27 Aug. 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 13 Sep. 2026.

Kids Definition

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