# surrogate

/ˈsɝəˌɡeɪt/ (US) · /sˈʌɹəɡˌeɪt/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/surrogate
Updated: 2026-08-08

## Senses

### 1. a substitute person

noun · CEFR C1 · Formal

someone who takes the place of another person or does their job for a short time.

For teachers: a person appointed to act for another; a proxy or substitute in a specific social or professional capacity.

- Since the director was ill, his assistant acted as a surrogate during the meeting.
- In the absence of the primary negotiator, a surrogate was dispatched to finalize the preliminary terms of the treaty.

Usage: Often used with 'as' or 'for'.

### 3. political representative

noun · CEFR C1 · American English

a person, often a well-known politician, who speaks or campaigns for a leader.

For teachers: a high-profile supporter or politician who campaigns on behalf of a presidential or major political candidate.

- The candidate sent several surrogates to speak at rallies across the state.
- Campaign surrogates were deployed to late-night talk shows to defend the candidate's recent policy shift.

### 4. probate judge

noun · CEFR C2 · American English · Technical

a specific type of judge who handles wills and the property of people who have died.

For teachers: a judicial officer presiding over a court of probate, handling matters of wills, estates, and sometimes adoptions.

- The case was brought before the surrogate to settle the dispute over the inheritance.
- The Surrogate's Court in New York handles the distribution of assets for individuals who die without a valid will.

### 5. acting as a substitute

adjective · CEFR C1 · Formal

describing something that is used as a replacement for the real thing.

For teachers: functioning as a substitute or replacement for something else, often of a similar nature.

- The researchers used a surrogate measure to estimate the total population growth.
- The study utilized surrogate markers for cardiovascular health when direct clinical outcomes were unavailable for the short-term trial.

### 6. to substitute

verb · CEFR C2 · Formal

to put one person or thing in the place of another.

For teachers: to appoint a successor or to substitute one entity for another.

- The committee decided to surrogate the old rules with a new set of guidelines.
- The legal framework allows the board to surrogate a temporary chairperson should the incumbent become incapacitated.

Usage: This verb form is rare in modern English; 'substitute' is generally preferred.

## Examples

- The vice president acted as a surrogate for the president during the meeting.
- Since the CEO could not attend the international summit, she sent a trusted surrogate to negotiate on her behalf.
- In psychological research, researchers sometimes use a surrogate measure when the primary outcome is too difficult or unethical to observe directly over a long period.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.