surrogate

verb sur·ro·gate \ ˈsər-ə-ˌgāt , ˈsə-rə- \

Definition of surrogate

surrogated; surrogating

transitive verb

:to put in the place of another:

a :to appoint as successor, deputy, or substitute for oneself

b :substitute

Origin and Etymology of surrogate

Latin surrogatus, past participle of surrogare to choose in place of another, substitute, from sub- + rogare to ask — more at right

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1533

See Words from the same year

surrogate

noun, often attributive sur·ro·gate \ -ˌgāt , -gət \

Definition of surrogate

1 a :one appointed to act in place of another :deputy

b :a local judicial officer in some states (such as New York) who has jurisdiction over the probate of wills, the settlement of estates, and the appointment and supervision of guardians

2 :one that serves as a substitute

3 :surrogate mother

See surrogate defined for English-language learners

See surrogate defined for kids

Examples of surrogate in a Sentence

He could not attend the meeting, so he sent his surrogate.
The governor and her surrogates asked the public to support the change.
They had their baby through a surrogate.

Recent Examples of surrogate from the Web

Ask yourself: Did this sudden change of heart come because Sinclair's brass is tight with the Trump administration and its network is home to some presidential surrogates and supporters?

— robert reed, chicagotribune.com, "Why there are big local problems with Sinclair-Tribune Media's national deal," 24 Aug. 2017
An administration official said the White House has also prepared talking points to send to surrogates after he is pardoned.

— james hohmann, Washington Post, "The Daily 202: Trump’s border wall brinkmanship may leave Republicans in Congress holding the bag," 24 Aug. 2017
Among the individuals in the photos were Trump surrogates and supporters, like Omarosa Manigault and conservative video bloggers Diamond and Silk.

— malaika jabali, Essence.com, "This Twitter Post From Trump's Lawyer Is A Classic Response To 'I'm Not A Racist'," 17 Aug. 2017
But her self-pity was short-lived with the successful delivery of her son, Zev, by a surrogate.

— diane bell, sandiegouniontribune.com, "Nothing staged about Tony-winning 'Hairspray' actress's cancer crusade," 14 Aug. 2017
The new cast of cable news surrogates, starring goons like Stephen Miller or Seb Gorka, seem to spend most of their time breathlessly praising the president while convincing no one of the White House's position on an issue.

— jack holmes, Esquire, "Seth Meyers Points Out the Key to Being a Trump Goon on TV," 11 Aug. 2017
It was confirmed in June that the couple was looking for a surrogate to help expand their family, since another pregnancy for Kim posed serious health risks.

— erica gonzales, Harper's BAZAAR, "Kim Kardashian's Surrogate Is Reportedly Three Months Pregnant," 26 July 2017
When the Donnygate scandal hit at the start of last week and Donald Trump surrogates took to the airwaves to offer full-throated defenses of the president, Mike Pence’s aides took a more selfish line.

— vanityfair.com, "Mike Pence’s Master Plan Goes Up in Smoke," 20 July 2017
When the Donnygate scandal hit at the start of last week and Donald Trump surrogates took to the airwaves to offer full-throated defenses of the president, Mike Pence’s aides took a more selfish line.

— abigail tracy, The Hive, "Mike Pence’s Master Plan Goes Up in Smoke," 20 July 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'surrogate.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.