escort
Americannoun
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escorts
plural
-
a group of persons, or a single person, accompanying another or others for protection, guidance, or courtesy.
An escort of sailors accompanied the queen.
-
an armed guard, as a body of soldiers or ships.
The president traveled with a large escort of motorcycle police.
-
a man or boy who accompanies a woman or girl in public, as to a social event.
-
a person, especially a woman female escort, but sometimes a man male escort, who is paid to go on a date with a client, and usually to engage in sex acts for money.
-
protection, safeguard, or guidance on a journey.
to travel without escort.
- Synonyms:
- convoy
verb (used with object)
-
escorts,
present (3rd person singular)
-
escorted,
past participle, past
-
escorting
present participle
noun
-
one or more persons, soldiers, vehicles, etc, accompanying another or others for protection, guidance, restraint, or as a mark of honour
-
a man or youth who accompanies a woman or girl
he was her escort for the evening
-
-
a person, esp a young woman, who may be hired to accompany another for entertainment, etc
-
( as modifier )
an escort agency
-
verb
Synonym Usage
See accompany.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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escortsimple
-
escortssimple
-
have escortedperfect
-
has escortedperfect
-
am escortingprogressive
-
are escortingprogressive
-
is escortingprogressive
-
have been escortingperfect progressive
-
has been escortingperfect progressive
Past
-
escortedsimple
-
had escortedperfect
-
was escortingprogressive
-
were escortingprogressive
-
had been escortingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of escort
First recorded in 1570–80; from French, from Italian scorta, derivative of scorgere “to conduct, guide,” from Vulgar Latin excorrigere (unrecorded); see ex- 1, correct
Explanation
When you go somewhere, whether it's for fun or business, it's always nice to have an escort — someone to go along with you. Some escorts are there to protect you, some just to share a good time. The word escort can be a noun or a verb — "your escort escorts you." This word is derived from the Latin excorrigere, "to set out," and moved through the Italian scorgere, meaning "to guide." In the 1570s it took on a military tone as escorte, used to describe armed protectors for travelers. In the 19th century it came to mean "accompanying a person on social occasions," although we still refer to military escorts today.
Vocabulary lists containing escort
"To Kill a Mockingbird" by Harper Lee, Chapters 26–31
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Beowulf: A New Telling
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Tears of a Tiger
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Patel also directed Wilkins’ security detail to escort one of her allegedly drunk friends home after a night out in Nashville, MS Now reported in December 2025.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 6, 2026
In 2025, a female humpback whale was observed off the southern Gold Coast with an escort whale after apparently giving birth to a deceased calf.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 22, 2026
“I will escort you to the supermarket,” she insisted.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 10, 2026
It has also had to reposition the USS George Washington vessel and its escort warships to the Persian Gulf from Japan—thus removing the Navy’s only aircraft carrier in the Pacific.
From Slate ● Aug. 31, 2026
“It’s not much to look at,” my escort acknowledged, as if reading my mind.
From "The Brightwood Code" by Monica Hesse
His escorts asked the FBI to hurry up because onlookers were watching and he was placed on board the plane.
From BBC ● Oct. 12, 2026
SoFi Stadium aced the physical infrastructure with working elevators, wheelchair escorts and accessible seating with clear sightlines on every level.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 16, 2026
Many of the ships have sailed with escorts from the U.S.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 14, 2026
That refers to a “first group” of tankers or ship operators willing to cross the strait, likely with naval coordination and escorts.
From MarketWatch ● Jun. 18, 2026
Afterward I wondered about the relationship of our escorts to this place.
From "1491" by Charles C. Mann
Parents were initially told that all secondary-age pupils asking to use the toilet during a lesson would be escorted by a member of the pastoral team to the entrance of the toilet block.
From BBC ● Oct. 16, 2026
Following a negative asylum decision, Russian nationals are often given the chance to leave independently, but a rising number are being forcibly returned to Russia, usually escorted via third countries.
From BBC ● Oct. 16, 2026
But the EU chief's motorcade was escorted under heavy police presence through a different exit.
From Barron's ● Oct. 1, 2026
The fan eventually was escorted out of the seating area but was allowed to return to his seat.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 30, 2026
We were then escorted on foot across the border to the Mexican side of Nogales.
From "Breaking Through" by Francisco Jiménez
Navy has focused on escorting crude-oil tankers out of the waterway, rather than ships carrying refined products.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 9, 2026
But a Cal Fire firefighter stepped in on Tuesday, escorting a staff member to the property so she could release the critically endangered birds back into the wild.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 13, 2026
Police began escorting residents and campers back to properties and campsites to collect personal belongings on Sunday.
From BBC ● Jul. 19, 2026
But Iran also wants to make clear that it is in charge, and opposes the United States unilaterally escorting ships, said Negar Mortazavi, a senior fellow at the left-leaning Center for International Policy.
From Barron's ● Jul. 8, 2026
Looked like two police officers were escorting him to get through the mob.
From "Betty Before X" by Ilyasah Shabazz and Renée Watson
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
