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

Know More The socialist organization is now mired in procedural infighting. — J.d. Capelouto, semafor.com, 21 Oct. 2026

In my experience as a founder and CEO, when HR teams are buried under procedural noise and compliance overhead, strategic talent development tends to evaporate. — Syed Ahmad, Forbes.com, 20 Oct. 2026

Noun

Dempsey appeared in 262 episodes across 12 seasons of the medical procedural, leaving midway through Season 11 in 2014 and then coming back for a run of episodes six years later, in Season 17. — Ethan Shanfeld, Variety, 20 Oct. 2026

Director Bong Joon Ho’s iconic procedural follows a sometimes hilariously inept investigation into a series of small town murders. — David Faris, TheWeek, 16 Oct. 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