John Doe

noun

1
: a party to legal proceedings whose true name is unknown
2
: an average man

Examples of John Doe in a Sentence

to John Doe the most important issues in any election are usually those that affect his wallet
Recent Examples on the Web
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
The complaint also describes an occasion where Phillips allegedly gave the boys beer and John Doe 4 passed out. David Bixenspan, Rolling Stone, 23 Oct. 2024 After the anonymous individual’s interruption, John Doe was able to get up and leave. Tribune News Service, The Mercury News, 23 Oct. 2024 Three plaintiffs are women and four are men, submitted as either Jane Doe or John Doe. Elizabeth Wagmeister, CNN, 21 Oct. 2024 And additionally, Swarm was a series created by Donald Glover, aka the first John Doe and…one of the creators of Mr. and Mrs. Smith itself. Paul Tassi, Forbes, 19 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for John Doe 

Word History

First Known Use

1593, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of John Doe was in 1593

Cite this Entry

“John Doe.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/John%20Doe. Accessed 5 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

John Doe

noun
: a person in legal proceedings whose true name is unknown or withheld

Legal Definition

John Doe

noun
: a party to legal proceedings (as a suspect) whose true name is unknown or withheld compare jane roe, richard roe
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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