sur·ro·gate
ˈsər-ə-gət 
ˈsə-rə-,
-ˌgāt
often attributive
1
a
: one appointed to act in place of another : deputy
b
: a local judicial officer in some states (such as New York) who has jurisdiction over the probate of wills, the settlement of estates, and the appointment and supervision of guardians
2
3
: one that serves as a substitute
sur·ro·gate
ˈsər-ə-ˌgāt
ˈsə-rə-
surrogated; surrogating
: to put in the place of another:
a
: to appoint as successor, deputy, or substitute for oneself
b
Examples of surrogate in a Sentence
Noun
He could not attend the meeting, so he sent his surrogate.
The governor and her surrogates asked the public to support the change.
They had their baby through a surrogate.
Recent Examples on the Web
Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 4 Feb. 2026
Despite some assumptions, Levich says every Family Match client also meets their surrogate.
—Sarah Jones, PEOPLE, 3 Feb. 2026
Khloe Kardashian, 33, recently confirmed her first pregnancy, and Kim Kardashian, 37, recently welcomed her third child with husband Kanye West via surrogate.
—Anna Kaufman, USA Today, 1 Feb. 2026
Just last year, the Orlando Sentinel highlighted this systemic vulnerability through the harrowing story of a Georgia woman who unknowingly became a surrogate for another couple’s child after an embryo mix-up.
—Robert Travieso, The Orlando Sentinel, 30 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for surrogate
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Noun
Known as StellFoundry, the new project focuses on replacing lengthy calculations in the design process with types of digital models, or surrogates, that provide rough calculation estimates.
—Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 4 Feb. 2026
Despite some assumptions, Levich says every Family Match client also meets their surrogate.
—Sarah Jones, PEOPLE, 3 Feb. 2026
Khloe Kardashian, 33, recently confirmed her first pregnancy, and Kim Kardashian, 37, recently welcomed her third child with husband Kanye West via surrogate.
—Anna Kaufman, USA Today, 1 Feb. 2026
Just last year, the Orlando Sentinel highlighted this systemic vulnerability through the harrowing story of a Georgia woman who unknowingly became a surrogate for another couple’s child after an embryo mix-up.
—Robert Travieso, The Orlando Sentinel, 30 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for surrogate
Cite this Entry
“Surrogate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/surrogate. Accessed 14 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
surrogate
noun
sur·ro·gate
-gət, -ˌgāt
: one that serves as a substitute: as
a
: a representation of a person substituted through symbolizing (as in a dream) for conscious recognition of the person
b
: a drug substituted for another drug
c
Legal Definition
surrogate
noun
sur·ro·gate
ˈsər-ə-gət
1
: one acting in the place of another
especially
: one standing in loco parentis to a child
2
often capitalized
: the judge or judicial officer of a Surrogate's Court or Surrogate's office
surrogate
adjective
Etymology
Noun
Latin surrogatus, past participle of surrogare, subrogare to substitute, from sub- in place of, under + rogare to ask
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