policeman

noun

po·​lice·​man pə-ˈlēs-mən 

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

Synonyms

• cop
• officer
• constable [chiefly British]

Examples of policeman in a Sentence

reported the crime to the nearest policeman

Recent Examples on the Web

But Europe cannot take the United States’ place as the world’s policeman. —Oona A. Hathaway, Foreign Affairs, 24 June 2025

Israel’s strikes on Iran and Tehran’s retaliation, which appeared to catch many world leaders unawares, is the latest sign of a more volatile world as Trump seeks to withdraw the U.S. from its role as world policeman. —Rob Gillies, Los Angeles Times, 15 June 2025

One policeman carried an injured spectator to an ambulance, while people gathered around another lying seemingly unconscious on the ground. —USA Today, 5 June 2025

The policeman barber unwrapped a disposable blade and set it into a straight razor. —Ben Ayers, Outside Online, 6 May 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1788, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for policeman

• policemen

Kids Definition

policeman

noun

po·​lice·​man pə-ˈlē-smən 

: police officer

Medical Definition

policeman

noun

po·​lice·​man pə-ˈlēs-mən 

plural policemen -mən 

: an instrument (as a flat piece of rubber on a glass rod) for removing solids from a vessel (as a beaker)