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
Nate Jones, Vulture, 7 Feb. 2025
Gaetz, once a key surrogate for the governor in the early years of his administration, became a critic during the Republican presidential primary as DeSantis sought to topple Trump as the GOP’s presidential nominee.
—Ana Ceballos, Miami Herald, 6 Feb. 2025
Words will never express our endless gratitude for our incredible surrogate and everyone who helped us along the way.
—Emma Specter, Vogue, 1 Feb. 2025
This week, the Senate will consider the cabinet nominations of a Kennedy scion who has previously endorsed full-term abortions and of a surrogate for Bernie Sanders’s 2016 presidential campaign.
—Philip Klein, National Review, 29 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for surrogate 
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Noun
Just as politics has turned us all into unpaid surrogates for our favorite candidates, so too do today’s fans take it upon themselves to perform their own opposition research.
—Nate Jones, Vulture, 7 Feb. 2025
Gaetz, once a key surrogate for the governor in the early years of his administration, became a critic during the Republican presidential primary as DeSantis sought to topple Trump as the GOP’s presidential nominee.
—Ana Ceballos, Miami Herald, 6 Feb. 2025
Words will never express our endless gratitude for our incredible surrogate and everyone who helped us along the way.
—Emma Specter, Vogue, 1 Feb. 2025
This week, the Senate will consider the cabinet nominations of a Kennedy scion who has previously endorsed full-term abortions and of a surrogate for Bernie Sanders’s 2016 presidential campaign.
—Philip Klein, National Review, 29 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for surrogate
Dictionary Entries Near surrogate
Cite this Entry
“Surrogate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/surrogate. Accessed 11 Feb. 2025.
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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