procedural

1 of 2

adjective

pro·​ce·​dur·​al prə-ˈsē-jə-rəl 

-ˈsēj-rəl

: of or relating to procedure

especially : of or relating to the procedure used by courts or other bodies administering substantive law

procedurally adverb

procedural

2 of 2

noun

: a realist crime novel, film, or television drama with a specific focus

a courtroom procedural

especially : police procedural

Examples of procedural in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

Exercises involving public safety partners, facility operators, legal advisors, executive leadership and technical personnel often reveal procedural gaps that remain invisible during routine operations. — Bill Edwards, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2026

The appellate court’s ruling focused on one particular procedural issue during the jury selection portion of Robinson’s trial. — Caelyn Pender, Mercury News, 21 Aug. 2026

Noun

The actor earned eight Emmy nominations for outstanding lead actress in a drama series for her portrayal of Detective Olivia Benson on NBC’s long-running crime procedural, which premiered in 1999, and won a statuette in 2006. — Saman Shafiq, USA Today, 20 Aug. 2026

The actress discussed her fond memories of working with one very special actor on her long-running crime procedural. — Wesley Stenzel, Entertainment Weekly, 19 Aug. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1876, in the meaning defined above

Noun

1963, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing procedural

• police procedural
• procedural due process
• procedural face mask
• procedural mask

Medical Definition

procedural

adjective

pro·​ce·​dur·​al prə-ˈsēj-(ə-)rəl 

: relating to or comprising memory or knowledge concerned with how to manipulate symbols, concepts, and rules to accomplish a task or solve a problem compare declarative

Legal Definition

procedural

adjective

pro·​ce·​dur·​al prə-ˈsē-jə-rəl 

: of or relating to procedure

sentence reversed as result of procedural error in sentencing

—National Law Journal

compare substantive

procedurally adverb