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pro·ce·dure | \ prə-ˈsē-jər 
\
\Definition of procedure
1a : a particular way of accomplishing something or of acting
b : a step in a procedure
2a : a series of steps followed in a regular definite order
legal procedure a surgical procedure
b : a set of instructions for a computer that has a name by which it can be called into action
3a : a traditional or established way of doing things
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Examples of procedure in a Sentence
Installing a car battery is a simple procedure.
What is the procedure for applying for a loan?
New employees are taught the proper safety procedures.
We must follow proper court procedure.
An identity check is standard police procedure.
the procedure for treating a burn
The procedure will take two hours.
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Recent Examples on the Web This procedure can help locate the origin of the seizures for possible surgical removal.
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Christof Koch, Scientific American, "What Near-Death Experiences Reveal about the Brain," 19 May 2020 Avis Budget and Dollar Thrifty have enhanced their cleaning procedures as well.
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Curtis Tate, USA TODAY, "Is it safe to rent a car? Hertz, rivals enhance cleaning process to eliminate coronavirus," 17 May 2020 Block attributes the spread of these diseases, which have led to the hospitalization of people, to dealers who fail to properly vaccinate puppies and who perform their own procedures on dogs in lieu of visiting a licensed veterinarian.
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NBC News, "If you're adopting a dog in the pandemic, steer clear of puppy mills, Humane Society warns," 13 May 2020 But there’s no question that hospitals have radically changed their childbirth procedures to keep mothers and babies safe.
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María Méndez, Dallas News, "Zoom in the delivery room: Coronavirus pandemic forces moms to embrace new rituals," 9 May 2020 While each vet will have his or her own procedures, the American Veterinary Medical Association provides frequently updated guidance to its members on minimizing possible exposure to Covid-19 while providing quality care for pets.
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Sandee Lamotte, CNN, "Getting to the veterinarian during coronavirus," 6 May 2020 But throughout much of the country, hospitals are drastically underutilized, both because states have banned elective procedures and people have been too afraid to show up.
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Rich Lowry, National Review, "The Hospital Crisis of Our Making," 28 Apr. 2020 Analysts expect those surgery centers to see a drop in business as patients cancel or postpone elective procedures.
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Washington Post, "UnitedHealth won’t seek federal aid because of outbreak," 15 Apr. 2020 There are far fewer bars and many more private clubs (with their vetting procedures, clubs offer better protection against encounters with carriers of infectious disease).
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Eugene Linden, Time, "What Might the Post-Pandemic World Look Like?," 9 Apr. 2020
See MoreThese example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'procedure.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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More Definitions for procedure
procedure
nounEnglish Language Learners Definition of procedure
: a series of actions that are done in a certain way or order : an established or accepted way of doing something
: a medical treatment or operation
See the full definition for procedure in the English Language Learners Dictionary
procedure
nounpro·ce·dure | \ prə-ˈsē-jər \
\Kids Definition of procedure
: an action or series of actions for doing or accomplishing something
What is the procedure for school enrollment?
procedure
nounpro·ce·dure | \ prə-ˈsē-jər \
\Medical Definition of procedure
1 : a particular way of accomplishing something or of acting
2 : a step in a procedure especially : a series of steps followed in a regular definite order a surgical procedure a therapeutic procedure
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procedure
nounpro·ce·dure | \ prə-ˈsē-jər \
\Legal Definition of procedure
1 : one or more methods or steps for the enforcement or administration of rights, duties, justice, or laws
civil procedure police procedure — compare procedural law, substantive law
2 : a particular and especially established way of doing something
a medical procedure security procedures
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Time Traveler for procedure
The first known use of procedure was circa 1577
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