courts 1 of 2

plural of court
1
as in palaces
the residence of a ruler Hampton Court was the imposing residence of King Henry VIII

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2
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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3
4
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
1
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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2
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
During Glossip's time on death row, Oklahoma courts set nine different execution dates for him. CBS News, 24 June 2026 And so there's a little bit of a debate going on right now about the degree to which Americans' safety is going to be in danger depending on how these secretive courts rule about extending or renewing other certifications. Dana Taylor, USA Today, 24 June 2026 The southern African country’s courts are yet to rule on several legal challenges to the proposal. ABC News, 24 June 2026 In addition, the Northfield location will also feature Life Time’s largest pickleball complex in the Denver market, with 12 to 13 courts planned. Jessica Alvarado Gamez, Denver Post, 24 June 2026 The lower courts paused the order, and the case will soon be decided by the US Supreme Court. Jen Christensen, CNN Money, 24 June 2026 Although the companies will continue their dispute in UK courts, the disagreement mirrors frustrations that VMware customers and partners around the world have expressed since Broadcom bought VMware. Scharon Harding, ArsTechnica, 17 June 2026 Up in the stands, fans waved their own flags — including some sneaked in over the objections of FIFA and the courts — and wrestled with emotions, as boos, howls and hisses rained down from all corners of the stadium. Rick Maese, Washington Post, 16 June 2026 And for that part, the legislation does not have a revision for the section in which the SEC emphasized is too broad, allowing the opportunity at more battles within state courts. Trey Wallace, FOXNews.com, 16 June 2026
Verb
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
  • More like a small city, larger than Pompeii, Hadrian’s Palace boasted a sprawling display of 30 monumental buildings, including palaces, libraries, baths, and theaters.
    Maria Mocerino, Interesting Engineering, 13 June 2026
  • King Kalakaua is said to have been inspired by the grand palaces of Europe when designing his own in the islands.
    Alia Beard Rau, USA Today, 10 June 2026
Noun
  • Beneath its streets, beneath its markets and courtyards and temple squares, beneath even the foundations of the oldest houses, there turned a machine.
    Adam Kirsch, The Atlantic, 15 June 2026
  • Residents live independently in homes ranging from studios to 3-bedrooms, each built around courtyards that act as an al fresco living rooms for residents.
    Evie Carrick, Travel + Leisure, 12 June 2026
Noun
  • In 1996, the United Nations selected her as chief prosecutor of the international criminal tribunals for the former Yugoslavia and Rwanda.
    Rob Gillies, Los Angeles Times, 8 June 2026
  • Located just 2 miles away from the former insurance building that housed the residual mechanism, the ICC was set up as a permanent, global court to prosecute humanity’s worst crimes and forestall the need to create ad hoc tribunals for every conflict.
    ABC News, ABC News, 20 May 2026
Noun
  • At least 17 cases are still pending, with judges denying defense dismissal motions in several of them.
    Conor Wight, CBS News, 21 June 2026
  • Andrade landed her double-twisting Yurchenko vault cleanly with a small step, earning a massive score from the judges.
    Caroline Price, Forbes.com, 21 June 2026
Verb
  • 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
Verb
  • But that refurbishment, authorized by a National Park Service contract in April, is only the latest in a saga of repairs, cleaning and improvement efforts that dates back more than 50 years.
    Dinah Voyles Pulver, USA Today, 23 June 2026
  • The hotel dates from 1740, when it was built by Vicente Diego Alberti Mercadal, whose great-grandson Vicente Alberti Vidal, a theatre enthusiast, was important during the Enlightenment.
    Adrienne Wyper, TheWeek, 22 June 2026
Noun
  • Women are required to wear a headpiece in almost all the enclosures — though what exactly that looks like, depends on the class of ticket.
    Sheena McKenzie, CNN Money, 19 June 2026
  • Fans quickly turned the empty enclosures into a punchline.
    Alejandro Avila OutKick, FOXNews.com, 15 June 2026
Noun
  • 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
  • Of the 931 federal judges and magistrates who responded, only 15 had ever fielded a challenge to audiovisual evidence as a deepfake.
    Lars Daniel, Forbes.com, 14 May 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Courts.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/courts. Accessed 26 Jun. 2026.

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