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.
An unknown bomb-thrower at a labor rally sparked the Haymarket Affair on the Near West Side; eight policemen and at least four civilians died. Kori Rumore, Chicago Tribune, 4 May 2026 Suspecting that the bumbling local policeman, Officer Tim Derry (Nicholas Braun, accentuating the goofiness), is wrong in his conclusion that George simply died of a heart attack, Lily rallies her fellow sheep to help solve the murder. Frank Scheck, HollywoodReporter, 27 Apr. 2026 When bumbling village policeman Derry (an endearing Nicholas Braun) dismisses any suspicion of foul play despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary, it’s left to the sheep to prove otherwise — despite no ability to converse with their human counterparts beyond Lassie-style leading and hinting. Guy Lodge, Variety, 27 Apr. 2026 The alleged kidnapping of Donaldson was the second time this normally rare type of crime — the abduction of a policeman during the course of his job — has occurred in the East Bay in two months. Nate Gartrell, Mercury News, 23 Apr. 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

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Cite this Entry

“Policeman.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/policeman. Accessed 5 May. 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)

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