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
The outcome of the appeal will determine whether the Chicago ruling becomes a regional anomaly or a national precedent for holding federal immigration officers personally accountable to the courts. Robert Alexander, MSNBC Newsweek, 22 Oct. 2025 What happens in Ohio may shape how courts, businesses and individuals across the country decide to manage their connection to AI in the years ahead. Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 22 Oct. 2025 Heartwell Park is used for weeknight youth sports and features multiple courts and arenas, per Long Beach's website. Gabrielle Rockson, PEOPLE, 22 Oct. 2025 The question of the extent of the governor’s authority to set special elections in these circumstances has never been tested in Arkansas courts before. John Lynch, Arkansas Online, 22 Oct. 2025 Henick says that posting guidance outside of courts could help reduce these injuries. NPR, 21 Oct. 2025 The federal government’s weakness and limited ambitions, especially on the slavery question, meant that boundaries were rarely tested before the courts. Andrea Katz, The Conversation, 21 Oct. 2025 That means take it to the streets and into the courts. Oren Oppenheim, ABC News, 21 Oct. 2025 The complex will include pickleball, tennis and padel courts, softball and baseball training facilities, a pro shop and a restaurant. Elizabeth Campbell, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 14 Oct. 2025
Verb
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
  • With 2,000-year-old ancient Roman roads and Etruscan tombs, grand villas, papal palaces, charming medieval towns, rolling countryside, and unforgettable food and wine, Lazio has something for every traveler.
    Fulvio De Bonis, Travel + Leisure, 17 Oct. 2025
  • Busosanseong served as a political and cultural hub during Baekje’s golden era, and featured ornate palaces, courtyard terraces, and Buddhist temples.
    Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 16 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • There are also adjustable shutters fitted on skylights through which suspended glass courtyards and gardens can be seen.
    Lily Templeton, Footwear News, 20 Oct. 2025
  • With its presence carved into tall columns and sprawling courtyards, this hallowed location has been a place of devotion to deities like Amun-Ra, Montu, and Mut for more than 3,000 years.
    Pranjal Malewar, New Atlas, 18 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • That panel included two former judges who had overseen international criminal tribunals, a former legal adviser to the British Foreign Office, and Amal Clooney, a British Lebanese human-rights lawyer and the wife of George Clooney.
    David D. Kirkpatrick, New Yorker, 5 Oct. 2025
  • Winding its way through tax tribunals and the county treasurer's office all the way to the Michigan Court of Appeals through a trail of unseen revocation notices, jurisdictional conflicts and behind-the-scenes bureaucratic handwringing, that eventually got worked out.
    Todd Spangler, Freep.com, 3 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Since there was no elimination last week, viewer votes from Dedication Night and Wicked Night were combined with the judges’ scores from both nights to determine the couple sent home.
    Brianne Tracy, PEOPLE, 22 Oct. 2025
  • Before the judges revealed their scores, Leavitt told cohost Julianne Hough that her sole goal in week 6 was to redeem her week 5 stumble during a soulful contemporary routine dedicated to her husband.
    Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 22 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Starting next year, public schools can choose to be closed on Diwali, which changes dates every year because it is based on a lunar calendar.
    Stephen Hobbs, Sacbee.com, 20 Oct. 2025
  • The Artaxata church dates to the 4th century, the same period Armenia officially adopted Christianity.
    Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 19 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Rooms feature floor-to-ceiling views of Red Rock State Park, fireplaces, and spacious patios or balconies.
    Susmita Baral, Travel + Leisure, 14 Oct. 2025
  • These stops boast fabulous flights, outdoor patios, world-class sunsets, and serene mountain views, even friendly farm animals at Peaks of Otter Winery.
    Erin Gifford, Southern Living, 12 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • North Carolina’s Speaker of the House, Republican Destin Hall, sponsored the Pretrial Integrity Act that in 2023 limited magistrates’ ability to set conditions of release.
    Julia Coin, Charlotte Observer, 17 Sep. 2025
  • On June 1, commemorating one year since his unconstitutional reelection, Bukele appeared on national television from the National Theater, surrounded by his deputies, his loyal magistrates and prosecutor, and many soldiers.
    Óscar Martínez & Carlos Martínez, The Dial, 16 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Foregoing narration and dialogue, the film invites viewers to experience the region through the rhythm of wind, stone and ritual.
    Essie Assibu, Variety, 17 Oct. 2025
  • That invites questions about the match officials’ timekeeping and about the futility of a welcome clampdown on timewasting by goalkeepers when such an enormous amount of time is being lost to other stoppages.
    Oliver Kay, New York Times, 16 Oct. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Courts.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/courts. Accessed 24 Oct. 2025.

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