patrol car

noun

: a police automobile connected with headquarters by a two-way radio or computer : squad car
Placing an unarmed, compliant juvenile in the back of a patrol car transformed an investigatory stop into an arrest, the 9th Circuit held …The National Law Journal

Examples of patrol car in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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Bodycam footage subsequently released shows Woods in the back of a patrol car looking lethargic, hiccuping and yawning. Madeleine Marr, Miami Herald, 3 Apr. 2026 The hood-of-the-car moment marks a clear shift One of the most telling sequences shows Woods seated on the hood of a patrol car during sobriety testing. Alaa Elassar, CNN Money, 3 Apr. 2026 An examination of his patrol car revealed Teresa’s fingerprints on the hood of his patrol car, intermingled with Duckett’s. Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board, The Orlando Sentinel, 3 Apr. 2026 The Azusa Police Department released security video showing a 37-year-old man entering an out-of-service patrol car days before officers found his body last week. Nicole Comstock, CBS News, 31 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for patrol car

Word History

First Known Use

1926, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of patrol car was in 1926

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Cite this Entry

“Patrol car.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/patrol%20car. Accessed 5 Apr. 2026.

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