police 1 of 2

noun

Definition of policenext
1
as in law
the department of government that keeps order, fights crime, and enforces statutes the appearance of a ransom note meant that the teenager's disappearance was now a matter for the police

Synonyms & Similar Words

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2
as in constabulary
a body of officers of the law the National Guard will serve as backup for the metropolitan police in the event of violent protests

Synonyms & Similar Words

police

2 of 2

verb

as in to control

Related Words

Dissimilar Words

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of police
Noun
The 32-year-old woman, whose identity has not been publicly released, was pronounced dead yesterday, according to Chicago police. — Chicago Tribune, 6 Nov. 2026 The officer, Thomas Denton, served in the department’s Metropolitan Division, police said. — Fedor Zarkhin, Los Angeles Times, 6 Nov. 2026
Verb
State auditors found that the Minnesota Department of Education received numerous complaints about Feeding Our Future, but often told the group to police itself. — ABC News, 28 Oct. 2026 Big Tech profits from the hatred spreading across its platforms, and these companies will not police themselves. — Raja Krishnamoorthi, Chicago Tribune, 28 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for police
Recent Examples of Synonyms for police
  1. law
  2. constabulary
  3. control
  4. operate
  5. regulate
  6. conduct
  7. govern
  8. manage
Noun
  • The department also filed a motion in support of a separate lawsuit filed in May that argues California violates national voting laws by failing to sufficiently remove ineligible voters from its rolls.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 8 Nov. 2026
  • Congress must put lasting protections for scientific independence into law.
    — Carole LaBonne, Washington Post, 8 Nov. 2026
Definition of law
Noun
  • Meanwhile, police forces across the country have transformed from lightly armed constabularies to small-scale armies.
    — Daniel Benjamin, Foreign Affairs, 11 Sep. 2026
  • Several British constabularies have added EVs to their fleets for urban policing duties, often using models such as the Hyundai Kona Electric, Nissan Leaf and the BMW i3.
    — Peter Lyon, Forbes.com, 8 Mar. 2026
Definition of constabulary
Verb
  • To control their size, they can be cut back by up to a third of their mass once per year, which can be done in a post-blooming period of rest, such as in late autumn, without sacrificing next year’s blooms.
    — The Spruce, The Spruce, 8 Nov. 2026
  • Novak put the Pens ahead less than two minutes after the opening faceoff after controlling a rebound in front.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 8 Nov. 2026
Definition of control
Verb
  • The complication is that about 95% of the world’s 46,000 McDonald’s restaurants are owned and operated by franchisees — and some have pushed back against a proposal that could require $650,000 to $800,000 of investment per store.
    — Andrew Edgecliffe-Johnson, semafor.com, 6 Nov. 2026
  • The rail line, operating since 1888, has always been vulnerable to the ocean’s wrath due to its location — but its beachfront property is also one of its main draws for riders seeking a scenic trip down Southern California’s iconic coast.
    — Grace Toohey, Los Angeles Times, 6 Nov. 2026
Definition of operate
Verb
  • The commission, formed earlier in 2026 after several council members called for a local moratorium, has spent roughly two months working on a 150-page report outlining recommendations for how the city could regulate data centers.
    — Emily Holshouser, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 11 Nov. 2026
  • Financiera Ueno subsequently became Ueno Bank, placing one of its former executives at the head of the institution responsible for regulating it.
    — Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 11 Nov. 2026
Definition of regulate
Verb
  • Community college officials said the company is conducting its own investigation.
    — Tarini Mehta, Sacbee.com, 3 Nov. 2026
  • American officials told the Wall Street Journal that Washington had conducted similar attacks secretly in recent weeks.
    — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 3 Nov. 2026
Definition of conduct
Verb
  • Concrete cases would establish that equal treatment governs the full educational enterprise.
    — Ilya Shapiro, Washington Post, 8 Nov. 2026
  • The terms of the voluntary work program at all federal immigration facilities are directed by the Federal government and governed by federal law.
    — Christa Swanson, CBS News, 8 Nov. 2026
Definition of govern
Verb
  • The Rams still managed to rack up 513 yards of offense on the Broncos, including several big plays in which a Rams receiver was wide open, or several Bronco defenders missed tackles that turned a short gain into a big play.
    — Shaun Goodwin, Idaho Statesman, 8 Nov. 2026
  • And our research at Xero shows that owners spend nearly 22 hours a month on finance alone—just tracking and managing money.
    — Sukhinder Singh Cassidy, Fortune, 7 Nov. 2026
Definition of manage

Phrases Containing police

Browse Nearby Words

polestars
police
police action
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Cite this Entry

“Police.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/police. Accessed 13 Nov. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on police

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about police

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