Thesaurus results for COURTS

courts 1 of 2

noun

plural of court

as in palaces

the residence of a ruler Hampton Court was the imposing residence of King Henry VIII

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as in courtyards

an open space wholly or partly enclosed (as by buildings or walls) the art museum boasts a glass-sided court that is filled with an array of greenery and sculpture

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as in tribunals

an assembly of persons for the administration of justice this court is now called to order

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as in judges

a public official having authority to decide questions of law if it please the court, I'd like to approach the bench

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courts

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of court

as in woos

to act so as to make (something) more likely you're courting disaster if you keep playing with matches

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as in dates

to go on dates that may eventually lead to marriage they courted for a year before getting married

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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 courts

Noun

At least 25 states are now enforcing laws or policies banning transgender women and girls from competing in at least some women’s and girls' sports and three others have adopted laws but have enforcement blocked by the courts. — ABC News, 14 Sep. 2026 At least 25 states are now enforcing laws or policies banning transgender women and girls from competing in at least some women’s and girls’ sports and three others have adopted laws but have enforcement blocked by the courts. — Steve Peoples, Los Angeles Times, 14 Sep. 2026 For this legal fight over the USPS plan, the administration's lawyers have provided the courts with no evidence of mail-voting fraud. — Hansi Lo Wang, NPR, 14 Sep. 2026 The lawsuit comes after a turbulent two-week period for Hoskins’ office as courts considered which congressional map would govern Missouri’s November election. — Ben Wheeler, Kansas City Star, 14 Sep. 2026 But these were the product of executive actions—unratified by Congress and built on legal authorities that the courts were already contesting. — Jonas Nahm, Foreign Affairs, 14 Sep. 2026 At the time of his death, Villegas González had been seeking full custody of his children in the Idaho courts because their mother had moved to the state about four years ago, the family said. — Laura Rodríguez Presa, Chicago Tribune, 6 Sep. 2026 Look beyond the police, and the whole criminal justice system – prisons, the courts and probation service – is poorly run, and often in crisis. — The Week Uk, TheWeek, 5 Sep. 2026 By the time a new lawsuit from a challenger with stronger standing advances through the courts, how far along will the ballroom be? — Janay Kingsberry, The Atlantic, 5 Sep. 2026

Verb

But while the BlackWidow courts a crowd more interested in cracking open their keyboards for DIY tweaks, the Huntsman V3 Pro TKL 8K targets gamers who want fast inputs and faster reaction times. — Zackery Cuevas, PC Magazine, 21 July 2026 One night in April when the boy playing Orlando was home sick and Jamie was waiting for Adele in their private coital chamber, Bromley kept her late to work on the scene where Orlando courts Rosalind playing Ganymede playing Rosalind. — Jonathan Franzen, New Yorker, 1 June 2026 Biglari Holdings courts the MAHA movement The MAHA hire is the latest chapter in a long and turbulent saga for Biglari Holdings and its CEO Sardar Biglari, who took control of Steak ‘n Shake in 2008 when the chain was losing $100,000 a day. — Catherina Gioino, Fortune, 23 Apr. 2026 The ensemble cast includes Ellie Bamber as Eleanor’s sister, Beatrice, and Ed Suter as Edward’s loyal squire Richard, who courts Beatrice amid the escalating tragedy. — Robert Lang, Deadline, 27 Dec. 2025 Fox News, which courts an older linear audience, has put new focus on its reach via YouTube, X, TikTok and Instagram, among other venues. — Brian Steinberg, Variety, 15 Sep. 2025

Recent Examples of Synonyms for courts

Noun

This location is more residential, with quieter streets and approachable local trattorias, but offers several architecturally significant palaces and one of the city's oldest churches, the 11th-century San Zan Degola.

— Irene S. Levine, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2026
There’s no way to describe the excitement that came with discovering great movies in the palaces that adorned Westwood’s corners.

— Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of palaces

Noun

Based upon their replies, occupying Allied officials ranked their culpability, then tried the worst offenders — most famously in the Nuremberg trials, but also in numerous local tribunals.

— Fern Schumer Chapman, Chicago Tribune, 5 Aug. 2026
Lawmakers are prohibited by the state Constitution from being paid representatives for individuals or entities before state agencies other than judicial tribunals.

— Jim Turner, Miami Herald, 24 July 2026

Definition of tribunals

Noun

When the judges announce Jude as the winner, Bi, Anna, and Joseph don’t look surprised, and each gets a small hopeful comment at the end.

— Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 11 Sep. 2026
The panel of three judges nominated by Democratic former President Joe Biden agreed with the plaintiffs that the president does not have the power to regulate states' election policy.

— NICHOLAS RICCARDI, Arkansas Online, 11 Sep. 2026

Definition of judges

Verb

The iconic destination woos visitors with its rich history, stunning architecture, and a unique network of bridges and canals linking neighborhoods across the Venetian lagoon.

— Irene S. Levine, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2026
As the President insults allies, woos dictators, and spurns long-standing commitments, Rubio has to convince his counterparts that America will not entirely abandon its friends.

— Dexter Filkins, New Yorker, 12 Jan. 2026

Definition of woos

Verb

Notably for Monticello, the stone Putah Creek Bridge that dates to 1896, submerged deep under Lake Berryessa, has been visited by SCUBA divers.

— Graham Womack, Sacbee.com, 6 Sep. 2026
The term wire house dates to an era when large brokerage firms connected their offices to exchanges and one another through private telegraph—and later telephone—wires.

— Brian Lund, Encyclopedia Britannica, 4 Sep. 2026

Definition of dates

Noun

Skollar’s long-term goal is to raise more money to build larger enclosures for the gibbons and construct an education center for visitors.

— Jaimie Ding, Fortune, 23 Aug. 2026
Roads can become impassable, evacuation orders can change and homes or outdoor enclosures can be damaged, leaving pets vulnerable to injury or escape.

— Melanie Marshall, San Diego Union-Tribune, 21 Aug. 2026

Definition of enclosures

Noun

At a hearing this week, Judge Araceli Martinez-Olguin asked the parties to identify two potential magistrates who could oversee mediation by next Wednesday.

— Gene Maddaus, Variety, 22 Aug. 2026
Now, under the law named after her, magistrates and judges in North Carolina must be stricter when setting release conditions for people charged with violent crimes.

— Ryan Oehrli, Charlotte Observer, 8 June 2026