policeman

noun

po·​lice·​man pə-ˈlēs-mən 

1

: a member of a police force

2

: one held to resemble a policeman

… making the United States the policeman for the whole wide world.

—R. B. Long

Synonyms of policeman

• cop
• officer
• constable

Examples of policeman in a Sentence

reported the crime to the nearest policeman

Recent Examples on the Web

Yesterday, the Sun asked this question of a wide variety of people – an auxiliary policeman, a protest marcher, a steelworker, a politician, a barber, a bridegroom, a bootblack and others. — Jonathan M. Pitts, Baltimore Sun, 27 June 2026

The pivotal match itself — the semifinal encounter against hosts Uruguay — is also more convincingly depicted and dramatic, particularly for how one of the goals is assisted by an interfering policeman (incredibly, this did actually happen). — Jon O'Brien, Vulture, 26 June 2026

The family of a 26-year-old man shot three times in the back while running from a Colorado Springs policeman has filed a federal civil rights lawsuit against the police department and the officer. — Judith Kohler, Denver Post, 24 June 2026

Ratzenberger played a policeman in 1981's Ragtime, which gave him the opportunity to work alongside James Cagney, who starred as Commissioner Rhinelander Waldo. — Angela Andaloro, PEOPLE, 24 June 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1788, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for policeman

• policemen

Kids Definition

policeman

noun

po·​lice·​man pə-ˈlē-smən 

: police officer

Medical Definition

policeman

noun

po·​lice·​man pə-ˈlēs-mən 

plural policemen -mən 

: an instrument (as a flat piece of rubber on a glass rod) for removing solids from a vessel (as a beaker)