sortie

noun

sor·​tie ˈsȯr-tē How to pronounce sortie (audio)
sȯr-ˈtē
Synonyms of sortienext
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.
Interestingly, its nearly cube-like design—broken only by the addition of a hood—was a statement of stature that soon made the G-Wagen a status symbol conscripted far more for shopping sorties through Beverly Hills than anything tapping into its all-terrain acumen. Viju Mathew, Robb Report, 13 Mar. 2026 Flight-tracking data cited by The Aviationist indicates the mission occurred at approximately 23,000 feet, providing additional confirmation that the operation was part of a structured test flight rather than a routine training sortie. Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 11 Mar. 2026 Since the start of the operation, Israeli aircraft have carried out more than 1,600 sorties and deployed more than 5,000 munitions, according to figures released Wednesday. Efrat Lachter, FOXNews.com, 5 Mar. 2026 In Desert Storm, only a fraction of those sorties had precision weapons. Richard Hall, Time, 3 Mar. 2026 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 21 Mar. 2026.

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

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