sortie

noun

sor·​tie ˈsȯr-tē How to pronounce sortie (audio)
sȯr-ˈtē
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.
In recent years, China, which has vowed to bring Taiwan under its control, by force if necessary, has stepped up military activities around the island, including simulated blockades and near-daily sorties across the median line of the Taiwan Strait. Micah McCartney, MSNBC Newsweek, 23 June 2025 The scope of their work is described as patrolling the Mississippi River, X-ray examinations of food, drink and merchandise trucks that entered the venue area, air sorties as well as deploying several units to support local, state and federal law enforcement. Verónica Egui Brito, Miami Herald, 11 June 2025 The Chinese military also sends warplanes and ships toward Taiwan on near-daily sorties and in recent days held an amphibious landing drill in the Taiwan Strait. Janis MacKey Frayer, NBC news, 30 May 2025 On the crudest count then takes an average 2.2 drone sorties to damage a target and 7.1 to destroy it. David Hambling, Forbes.com, 16 Apr. 2025 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 4 Jul. 2025.

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

More from Merriam-Webster on sortie

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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