Definition of coursenext
1
as in procedure
a way of acting or proceeding the president's usual course has been to obtain advice from several people and then make up his own mind

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Relevance
2
as in class
a series of lectures on a subject a course on American history from the colonial period to the present

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3
4
as in route
the direction along which something or someone moves the river follows a southeasterly course to the ocean

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5

course

2 of 2

verb

1
as in to track
to go after or on the track of after coursing the conspirators for months, the federal agents closed in and made the arrests

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

2
as in to traverse
to make one's way through, across, or over once the threat of terrorism became apparent, fighter jets began coursing that corridor on a daily basis

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3

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of course
Noun
More recently, Netflix’s Western romance Ransom Canyon has used the state as a backdrop for Texas Hill Country over the course of multiple seasons. Erik Hayden, HollywoodReporter, 20 Aug. 2026 The National Gallery of Art, whose sculpture garden is along the course, has boarded up some of its outdoor works. Rachel Treisman, NPR, 20 Aug. 2026
Verb
There's a theme that's coursing through both parties among voters, Martha, frustration, even anger. ABC News, 26 July 2026 In the background, two lawsuits are coursing through the court system seeking to curb the naming effort altogether. Abigail Hasebroock, Sun Sentinel, 8 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for course
Recent Examples of Synonyms for course
Noun
  • Charles announced he had been diagnosed with cancer after undergoing a prostate procedure.
    Jack Guy, CNN Money, 19 Aug. 2026
  • Operating procedures are due in 60 days and will likely answer some of these questions.
    Jill Goldenziel, Forbes.com, 19 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • One disappointing development for the rookie class came when Trost, the Rams’ third-round pick, had to leave in the first quarter with a hamstring injury.
    Nate Atkins, New York Times, 16 Aug. 2026
  • Including the 2026 class, 329 people have been named Disney Legends.
    ABC News, ABC News, 16 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • However, these materials can be particularly difficult and carbon-intensive to extract and process.
    Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 17 Aug. 2026
  • The Pentagon has since sought to speed up the process through streamlined reviews and a surge of medical personnel, including Army Reservists sent to help staff screening clinics.
    Steven Beynon, ABC News, 17 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • The train began blocking the crossing on Tuesday morning, forcing drivers to find alternate routes.
    Terell Bailey, CBS News, 21 Aug. 2026
  • The narrow, 50-mile artificial waterway cuts through the Central American country, connecting the Atlantic and Pacific oceans and saving time and fuel along the shorter transit route.
    Hira Humayun, CNN Money, 21 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • As Jan races north along the canals, his unwanted passengers force him to confront a reality far removed from his own and to see life from a new perspective.
    Leo Barraclough, Variety, 12 Aug. 2026
  • Analysts said the rise in transit prices is also related to the intensification of El Niño conditions this year and lower water levels in the canal.
    , CNBC, 12 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • The Defense Ministry in Bucharest said in a statement that the craft was tracked and shot down by a Spanish F-18 fighter jet.
    David Brennan, ABC News, 16 Aug. 2026
  • This electron camera can track atomic movements down to the femtosecond, which is one quadrillionth of a second.
    Aman Tripathi, Interesting Engineering, 15 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • The film itself was an odyssey of a shoot, as the cast traversed multiple countries and territories—Scotland, Italy, the Western Sahara, Greece—in all types of weather.
    Wisdom Iheanyichukwu, Vanity Fair, 17 Aug. 2026
  • Currently, only a handful of ships traverse the seaway each day.
    Jim Edwards, Fortune, 17 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • In this dawning age of artificial intelligence, tech companies are racing to train and run their large language models using massive data centers that guzzle electricity and strain resources.
    Arielle Frommer, Scientific American, 20 Aug. 2026
  • As the ball entered the 6-yard box, LAFC’s Jeremy Ebobisse raced across and attempted a clearance.
    Daily News, Daily News, 20 Aug. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Course.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/course. Accessed 23 Aug. 2026.

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