1
as in wooed
to act so as to make (something) more likely
you're courting disaster if you keep playing with matches
Synonyms & Similar Words
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2
as in dated
to go on dates that may eventually lead to marriage
they courted for a year before getting married
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of courted
The Magic courted Kidd five years ago before hiring Jamahl Mosley.
—
Steve Henson, Los Angeles Times, 20 May 2026
This is far from the first time Crow-Armstrong has courted controversy by running his mouth.
—Alejandro Avila Outkick, FOXNews.com, 18 May 2026
Trump has courted foreign investment from a number of countries, including the United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Saudi Arabia.
—Garrett Downs, CNBC, 15 May 2026
While Amazon has successfully courted high fashion brands over the years like Coach, there were a few bumps on the road.
—Roy Stephen Canivel, Footwear News, 11 May 2026
Ted Turner, the media mogul and philanthropist behind the cable channels CNN, TBS, TNT, Turner Classic Movies, and the WCW who also courted controversy, died at his home near Tallahassee, Florida on Wednesday, according to The New York Times.
—Kory Grow, Rolling Stone, 6 May 2026
Skoric was courted by Kansas, Pitt and West Virginia last year but opted to stay in Europe.
—Mark Zeigler, San Diego Union-Tribune, 4 May 2026
Novo and Lilly have courted consumers without insurance coverage by selling the medications directly through their respective pharmacies or through telehealth providers.
—Ken Alltucker, USA Today, 30 Apr. 2026
Baselitz courted controversy of a different sort shortly after, during the Covid-19 pandemic.
—Tessa Solomon, ARTnews.com, 30 Apr. 2026
Steve Henson, Los Angeles Times, 20 May 2026
This is far from the first time Crow-Armstrong has courted controversy by running his mouth.
—Alejandro Avila Outkick, FOXNews.com, 18 May 2026
Trump has courted foreign investment from a number of countries, including the United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Saudi Arabia.
—Garrett Downs, CNBC, 15 May 2026
While Amazon has successfully courted high fashion brands over the years like Coach, there were a few bumps on the road.
—Roy Stephen Canivel, Footwear News, 11 May 2026
Ted Turner, the media mogul and philanthropist behind the cable channels CNN, TBS, TNT, Turner Classic Movies, and the WCW who also courted controversy, died at his home near Tallahassee, Florida on Wednesday, according to The New York Times.
—Kory Grow, Rolling Stone, 6 May 2026
Skoric was courted by Kansas, Pitt and West Virginia last year but opted to stay in Europe.
—Mark Zeigler, San Diego Union-Tribune, 4 May 2026
Novo and Lilly have courted consumers without insurance coverage by selling the medications directly through their respective pharmacies or through telehealth providers.
—Ken Alltucker, USA Today, 30 Apr. 2026
Baselitz courted controversy of a different sort shortly after, during the Covid-19 pandemic.
—Tessa Solomon, ARTnews.com, 30 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for courted
Verb
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Carl is wooed back into the house by Lindsay, of all people.—
Brian Moylan,
Vulture,
13 May 2026
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Acquiring sports teams and land For much of his life a partying roustabout who wooed beautiful women, the lean, mustachioed sportsman married three times.—
David Bauder,
Fortune,
6 May 2026
Verb
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Mail-in ballot voters who don’t take the time to ensure their ballots are dated correctly will find their votes tossed in November because of a relatively new state law, Lake County’s Election Board Director is warning.—
Michelle L. Quinn,
Chicago Tribune,
14 May 2026
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The latest citation for the center, dated on March 11, notes that a caregiver used corporal punishment against a child.—
Lina Ruiz
May 14,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
14 May 2026
Verb
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For the 2025 awards, more than 3,300 organizations in the Baltimore metro area were invited to survey their employees.—
Bob Helbig,
Baltimore Sun,
24 May 2026
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Similarly mundane material is given to Seth Rogen (as a fellow rabbi more concerned with having fun than appreciating the faith), Kate Berlant (as Rogen’s partner in faith), and Alex Karpovsky (as another rabbi, this one invited to join Noah’s temple).—
Hugh Hart,
IndieWire,
23 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Courted.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/courted. Accessed 24 May. 2026.
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