1
: a party to legal proceedings whose true name is unknown
2
: an average man
Examples of John Doe in a Sentence
to John Doe the most important issues in any election are usually those that affect his wallet
Recent Examples on the Web
Van Arsdale said the inconsistencies in John Doe’s story were due to a clerical error in filing.
—
Elizabeth Wagmeister, CNN Money, 8 May 2025
Sobule worked with artists and performers ranging from X’s John Doe, to SNL alum Julia Sweeney, to Emma Roberts during her Nickelodeon days.
—Bethy Squires, Vulture, 2 May 2025
Bloom represents a John Doe and Dawn Richard, who was a member of two now-defunct groups formed by Combs, Danity Kane and a second one called Diddy — Dirty Money.
—Adam Reiss, NBC news, 1 May 2025
The lab results led investigators to family members who were able to provide a DNA sample and confirm the John Doe’s identification as Brown.
—Olivia Lloyd, Miami Herald, 29 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for John Doe
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.
Elizabeth Wagmeister, CNN Money, 8 May 2025
Sobule worked with artists and performers ranging from X’s John Doe, to SNL alum Julia Sweeney, to Emma Roberts during her Nickelodeon days.
—Bethy Squires, Vulture, 2 May 2025
Bloom represents a John Doe and Dawn Richard, who was a member of two now-defunct groups formed by Combs, Danity Kane and a second one called Diddy — Dirty Money.
—Adam Reiss, NBC news, 1 May 2025
The lab results led investigators to family members who were able to provide a DNA sample and confirm the John Doe’s identification as Brown.
—Olivia Lloyd, Miami Herald, 29 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for John Doe
Cite this Entry
“John Doe.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/John%20Doe. Accessed 20 May. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
John Doe
noun
: a person in legal proceedings whose true name is unknown or withheld
Legal Definition
John Doe
noun
: a party to legal proceedings (as a suspect) whose true name is unknown or withheld compare jane roe, richard roe
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share