police procedural

noun

plural police procedurals
: a mystery story written from the point of view of the police investigating the crime

Examples of police procedural in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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Served with a stiff upper lip — and often an even stiffer drink — the comedies, dramas, police procedurals, science fiction, thrillers, and other genre fusions on this list are some of the best series the country and medium have to offer. Declan Gallagher, Entertainment Weekly, 7 Mar. 2026 An at times convoluted plot – which jumps backward and forward in time while bouncing between police procedural and dark love story – keeps viewers wondering who might be a killer and who might be a victim. Paul Edward Parker, The Providence Journal, 20 Feb. 2026 The new film combines elements of Taiwanese folk religion with a police procedural format. Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 14 Feb. 2026 Their youngest daughter’s role on the ABC police procedural goes back to before she was born, with her pregnancy — and experience having a home birth — being written into her storyline in season 5. Liza Esquibias, PEOPLE, 30 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for police procedural

Word History

First Known Use

1963, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of police procedural was in 1963

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Cite this Entry

“Police procedural.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/police%20procedural. Accessed 15 Mar. 2026.

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