policeman

noun

po·​lice·​man pə-ˈlēs-mən How to pronounce policeman (audio)
Synonyms of policemannext
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

Examples of policeman in a Sentence

reported the crime to the nearest policeman
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
However, her personable commanding officer Majid (Shafi al-Harthi) sees the value in her perspective when a high school student’s body turns up in the desert, and Nawal discerns clues from details which the policemen overlook, from the girl’s manicure to the embroidery on her abaya. Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 8 June 2026 The star previously opened up about dating a pro-MAGA policeman. Joey Nolfi, Entertainment Weekly, 8 June 2026 Eight policemen and at least four civilians died. Kori Rumore, Chicago Tribune, 6 June 2026 The young Brooks’s disciplinary problems began with fights in primary school and culminated in his expulsion from college for threatening a policeman with a firearm. Rob Wolfe, The Atlantic, 5 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for policeman

Word History

First Known Use

1788, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of policeman was in 1788

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Policeman.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/policeman. Accessed 10 Jun. 2026.

Kids Definition

policeman

noun
po·​lice·​man pə-ˈlē-smən How to pronounce policeman (audio)

Medical Definition

policeman

noun
po·​lice·​man pə-ˈlēs-mən How to pronounce policeman (audio)
plural policemen -mən How to pronounce policeman (audio)
: an instrument (as a flat piece of rubber on a glass rod) for removing solids from a vessel (as a beaker)

More from Merriam-Webster on policeman

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster