police officer

noun

Synonyms of police officernext
: a member of a police force

Examples of police officer in a Sentence

there were police officers directing traffic around the scene of the accident
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.
According to Phil Stinson -- a professor at Bowling Green State University in Ohio who maintains a database of police officers who have been arrested -- the case against Gonzales is uncommon but not unprecedented. Peter Charalambous, ABC News, 21 Jan. 2026 Two police officers were also reportedly hit by stones but remained unharmed. Emma Bussey, FOXNews.com, 21 Jan. 2026 Idealistic bunny police officer Judy Hopps (Ginnifer Goodwin) is eager to prove herself in the big city, teaming up with slick fox named Nick (Jason Bateman) to uncover the conspiracy behind a string of animals gone missing. James Mercadante, Entertainment Weekly, 20 Jan. 2026 The same happened to an off-duty Brooklyn Park police officer who was stopped at gunpoint. Mara H. Gottfried, Twin Cities, 20 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for police officer

Word History

First Known Use

1797, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of police officer was in 1797

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Police officer.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/police%20officer. Accessed 22 Jan. 2026.

Kids Definition

police officer

noun
: a member of a police force

More from Merriam-Webster on police officer

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

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