procedural

1 of 2

adjective

pro·​ce·​dur·​al prə-ˈsē-jə-rəl How to pronounce procedural (audio)
-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
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Adjective
The procedural decision comes after court losses for Meta and YouTube in social media addiction lawsuits in California and New Mexico. Lindsay Whitehurst, Fortune, 27 May 2026 ASCs cultivate highly specialized teams, minimize procedural variability, and foster a culture of continuous quality improvement that directly enhances clinical outcomes. Richard Menger Md Mpa, Forbes.com, 27 May 2026
Noun
The project, titled Welcome To Catalina, is in development at HBO Max under the streamer’s model for drama procedurals intended to return each year with sizable orders and moderate cost. Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 27 May 2026 Blue Bloods was canceled in 2023 after 14 seasons, but fans of the popular CBS crime procedural didn't have to wait long to see some of their favorite characters back onscreen. Randall Colburn, Entertainment Weekly, 25 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for procedural

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1876, in the meaning defined above

Noun

1963, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of procedural was in 1876

Cite this Entry

“Procedural.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/procedural. Accessed 30 May. 2026.

Medical Definition

procedural

adjective
pro·​ce·​dur·​al prə-ˈsēj-(ə-)rəl How to pronounce procedural (audio)
: 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 How to pronounce procedural (audio)
: of or relating to procedure
sentence reversed as result of procedural error in sentencingNational Law Journal
compare substantive
procedurally adverb

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