plural processes
ˈprä-ˌse-səz 
ˈprō-,
-sə-,
-ˌsēz
1
b
: something going on : proceeding
2
a(1)
: a natural phenomenon marked by gradual changes that lead toward a particular result
the process of growth
(2)
: a continuing natural or biological activity or function
such life processes as breathing
b
: a series of actions or operations conducing to an end
especially
: a continuous operation or treatment especially in manufacture
3
a
: the whole course of proceedings in a legal action
b
: the summons, mandate, or writ used by a court to compel the appearance of the defendant in a legal action or compliance with its orders
4
: a prominent or projecting part of an organism or organic structure
a bone process
a nerve cell process
5
processed; processing; processes
1
2
a
: to subject to a special process or treatment (as in the course of manufacture or film development)
b(1)
: to subject to or handle through an established usually routine set of procedures
process insurance claims
(2)
: to integrate sensory information received so that an action or response is generated
the brain processes visual images relayed from the retina
(3)
: to subject to examination or analysis
computers process data
c
: to work (hair) into a conk
1
: treated or made by a special process especially when involving synthesis or artificial modification
2
: made by or used in a mechanical or photomechanical duplicating process
3
: of or involving illusory effects usually introduced during processing of the film
processed; processing; processes
Examples of process in a Sentence
Noun
How does the election process work?
Learning a foreign language can be a long process.
We're remodeling our house. The whole process is expected to take a few months.
Breathing and the circulation of blood are life processes.
a bony process on the foot
Recent Examples on the Web
Jonathan Cohen, SPIN, 25 Nov. 2023
The development process to build a new, permanent location for the church has been under the leadership of the Rev. Yurii Sas, who has served as the parish administrator since 2018.
—Lauren J. Mapp, San Diego Union-Tribune, 25 Nov. 2023
As for the church in Brooklyn, the diocese said a more thorough investigation will be made into the approval process in the coming weeks.
—Stefano Montali, New York Times, 25 Nov. 2023
Invest in a new tilt-head stand mixer from KitchenAid that helps streamline the cooking and baking process or a Ninja Foodi Slow Cooker for effortless meals that require minimal effort.
—Ali Faccenda, Peoplemag, 25 Nov. 2023
For King, seeing the way Sloane and Zott’s stories intertwined was a realization of Eisenberg’s promise to her during the casting process.
—Brande Victorian, The Hollywood Reporter, 25 Nov. 2023
As a condition of the parole process, Pistorius met with Steenkamp’s father, Barry, in June 2022.
—Patrick Smith, NBC News, 24 Nov. 2023
Families will be designated social workers to guide them through this process, said Sarit Sarfatti, deputy head of child protection social workers at Israel’s Ministry of Welfare and Social Affairs.
—Molly Hennessy-Fiske, Washington Post, 24 Nov. 2023
The gas is commonly produced by burning fossil fuels at power plants and other industrial processes, the EPA says.
—CBS News, 23 Nov. 2023
Jake Parks, Discover Magazine, 25 Nov. 2023
Keep processing to your taste, pulsing less for a coarse pesto, more for a smooth one.
—The View, ABC News, 22 Nov. 2023
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) bundled many flap reconstructions covered by insurance under one CPT code, which is used for administrative purposes like processing insurance claims.
—Paige Stables, Allure, 22 Nov. 2023
In the third phase, all of the skeletons except the horses show signs of having been processed for food.
—Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 22 Nov. 2023
Keep in Mind It’s made in a facility that processes peanuts and tree nuts.
—Kathleen Felton, Better Homes & Gardens, 17 Nov. 2023
The Mediterranean diet is defined by high consumption of olive oil, fish, breads and cereals, fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, beans, and seeds; moderate amounts of dairy products, poultry, and alcohol; and small amounts of red and processed meat and sweets.
—Lauren Manaker Ms, Rdn, Ld, Clec, Verywell Health, 17 Nov. 2023
The machine’s limited responses, which are processed locally in a person’s home, keep its energy demands quite low.
—Yessenia Funes, The Verge, 17 Nov. 2023
At the same time, Biden emphasized that the two countries are competitors, and the United States had held the line throughout the APEC summit that the export controls over chips that are essential to processing AI are not going anywhere.
—Gerrit De Vynck, Washington Post, 17 Nov. 2023
Karl Freund, Forbes, 15 Sep. 2021
Regrind silicone used in the speaker is made by reclaiming and upcycling post-process and post-consumer silicone scraps that might otherwise end up in landfill.
—Mark Sparrow, Forbes, 4 Oct. 2022
The One Drop has durable sides and a base made from REGRIND Silicone, a material created by reclaiming and upcycling post-process silicone scraps that would otherwise go to waste.
—Mark Sparrow, Forbes, 19 July 2022
This may have positioned several large cities that chose to pre-process ballots to deliver election results earlier than expected.
—Clara Hendrickson, Detroit Free Press, 4 Nov. 2020
State Democrats and Republicans both agree that local election workers should be allowed to pre-process ballots early.
—Kristine Phillips, USA TODAY, 22 Oct. 2020
The state can’t yet process unemployment claims from independent contractors and the self-employed, even though the federal government has temporarily extended benefits to those workers, St. Louis Public Radio reported.
—USA TODAY, 15 Apr. 2020
The recent rise of memes seeming to make light of the Wuhan virus or international tensions offers a glimpse into how teenagers learn about and process world events.
—Nicole Daniels, New York Times, 11 Feb. 2020
Knowing that people process things differently and that's OK.
—Gabe Bergado, Teen Vogue, 13 Sep. 2019
Mike Rodak | Mrodak@al.com, al, 11 Apr. 2023
Under the plan, companies licensed to grow, process and sell medical cannabis will be eligible to receive licenses to participate in the recreational market by paying a one-time conversion fee of between $100,000 and $2 million, based on their 2022 sales.
—Erin Cox, Washington Post, 10 Apr. 2023
The Securitas cash depot was a squat, fortress-like building in Kent, England, where millions of pounds were processed for various banks.
—Chris Vognar, Rolling Stone, 9 Apr. 2023
And that becomes the problem because the dream never gets processed.
—Kristen Rogers, CNN, 9 Apr. 2023
Daniel Sumner, the director of the University of California Agricultural Issues Lab, said that processed tomato prices have already been high thanks to global supply issues and record drought in California.
—Cara Korte, CBS News, 8 Apr. 2023
Militant fighters were posted outside to maintain order while coalition troops processed those seeking entry.
—Dan Lamothe and Karen Deyoung, Anchorage Daily News, 7 Apr. 2023
As that product — a can of caviar, say, or a batch of coffee — moves through the supply chain, its digital twin gets encoded with information about how it has been transported and processed, providing a transparent log for companies and consumers.
—Ana Swanson, New York Times, 7 Apr. 2023
Yes, colored glass can be recycled when it is processed with glass that all has the same color.
—Maria Marabito, Treehugger, 6 Apr. 2023
See More
Noun
According to the Associated Press, Nashville chancery court judge Russell Perkins has temporarily blocked the sale to allow other legal matters and an ongoing arbitration process to play out.
—Jonathan Cohen, SPIN, 25 Nov. 2023
The development process to build a new, permanent location for the church has been under the leadership of the Rev. Yurii Sas, who has served as the parish administrator since 2018.
—Lauren J. Mapp, San Diego Union-Tribune, 25 Nov. 2023
As for the church in Brooklyn, the diocese said a more thorough investigation will be made into the approval process in the coming weeks.
—Stefano Montali, New York Times, 25 Nov. 2023
Invest in a new tilt-head stand mixer from KitchenAid that helps streamline the cooking and baking process or a Ninja Foodi Slow Cooker for effortless meals that require minimal effort.
—Ali Faccenda, Peoplemag, 25 Nov. 2023
For King, seeing the way Sloane and Zott’s stories intertwined was a realization of Eisenberg’s promise to her during the casting process.
—Brande Victorian, The Hollywood Reporter, 25 Nov. 2023
As a condition of the parole process, Pistorius met with Steenkamp’s father, Barry, in June 2022.
—Patrick Smith, NBC News, 24 Nov. 2023
Families will be designated social workers to guide them through this process, said Sarit Sarfatti, deputy head of child protection social workers at Israel’s Ministry of Welfare and Social Affairs.
—Molly Hennessy-Fiske, Washington Post, 24 Nov. 2023
The gas is commonly produced by burning fossil fuels at power plants and other industrial processes, the EPA says.
—CBS News, 23 Nov. 2023
Verb
Alcohol intolerance is primarily a genetic issue linked to how our bodies process and break down the toxins in alcohol.
—Jake Parks, Discover Magazine, 25 Nov. 2023
Keep processing to your taste, pulsing less for a coarse pesto, more for a smooth one.
—The View, ABC News, 22 Nov. 2023
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) bundled many flap reconstructions covered by insurance under one CPT code, which is used for administrative purposes like processing insurance claims.
—Paige Stables, Allure, 22 Nov. 2023
In the third phase, all of the skeletons except the horses show signs of having been processed for food.
—Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 22 Nov. 2023
Keep in Mind It’s made in a facility that processes peanuts and tree nuts.
—Kathleen Felton, Better Homes & Gardens, 17 Nov. 2023
The Mediterranean diet is defined by high consumption of olive oil, fish, breads and cereals, fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, beans, and seeds; moderate amounts of dairy products, poultry, and alcohol; and small amounts of red and processed meat and sweets.
—Lauren Manaker Ms, Rdn, Ld, Clec, Verywell Health, 17 Nov. 2023
The machine’s limited responses, which are processed locally in a person’s home, keep its energy demands quite low.
—Yessenia Funes, The Verge, 17 Nov. 2023
At the same time, Biden emphasized that the two countries are competitors, and the United States had held the line throughout the APEC summit that the export controls over chips that are essential to processing AI are not going anywhere.
—Gerrit De Vynck, Washington Post, 17 Nov. 2023
Adjective
The Xe HPC device is a multi-tiled, multi-process-node package with new GPU cores, HBM2e memory, a new Xe Link interconnect, and PCIe Gen 5 implemented with over 100-billion transistors.
—Karl Freund, Forbes, 15 Sep. 2021
Regrind silicone used in the speaker is made by reclaiming and upcycling post-process and post-consumer silicone scraps that might otherwise end up in landfill.
—Mark Sparrow, Forbes, 4 Oct. 2022
The One Drop has durable sides and a base made from REGRIND Silicone, a material created by reclaiming and upcycling post-process silicone scraps that would otherwise go to waste.
—Mark Sparrow, Forbes, 19 July 2022
This may have positioned several large cities that chose to pre-process ballots to deliver election results earlier than expected.
—Clara Hendrickson, Detroit Free Press, 4 Nov. 2020
State Democrats and Republicans both agree that local election workers should be allowed to pre-process ballots early.
—Kristine Phillips, USA TODAY, 22 Oct. 2020
The state can’t yet process unemployment claims from independent contractors and the self-employed, even though the federal government has temporarily extended benefits to those workers, St. Louis Public Radio reported.
—USA TODAY, 15 Apr. 2020
The recent rise of memes seeming to make light of the Wuhan virus or international tensions offers a glimpse into how teenagers learn about and process world events.
—Nicole Daniels, New York Times, 11 Feb. 2020
Knowing that people process things differently and that's OK.
—Gabe Bergado, Teen Vogue, 13 Sep. 2019
Verb
Because of, sort of, the sixth sense in the pocket, the decision-making, processing information quickly.
—Mike Rodak | Mrodak@al.com, al, 11 Apr. 2023
Under the plan, companies licensed to grow, process and sell medical cannabis will be eligible to receive licenses to participate in the recreational market by paying a one-time conversion fee of between $100,000 and $2 million, based on their 2022 sales.
—Erin Cox, Washington Post, 10 Apr. 2023
The Securitas cash depot was a squat, fortress-like building in Kent, England, where millions of pounds were processed for various banks.
—Chris Vognar, Rolling Stone, 9 Apr. 2023
And that becomes the problem because the dream never gets processed.
—Kristen Rogers, CNN, 9 Apr. 2023
Daniel Sumner, the director of the University of California Agricultural Issues Lab, said that processed tomato prices have already been high thanks to global supply issues and record drought in California.
—Cara Korte, CBS News, 8 Apr. 2023
Militant fighters were posted outside to maintain order while coalition troops processed those seeking entry.
—Dan Lamothe and Karen Deyoung, Anchorage Daily News, 7 Apr. 2023
As that product — a can of caviar, say, or a batch of coffee — moves through the supply chain, its digital twin gets encoded with information about how it has been transported and processed, providing a transparent log for companies and consumers.
—Ana Swanson, New York Times, 7 Apr. 2023
Yes, colored glass can be recycled when it is processed with glass that all has the same color.
—Maria Marabito, Treehugger, 6 Apr. 2023
See More
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'process.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Etymology
Noun
Middle English proces, from Anglo-French procés, from Latin processus, from procedere
Verb (2)
back-formation from procession entry 1
First Known Use
Noun
14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a
Verb (1)
15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a
Adjective
1888, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Verb (2)
1814, in the meaning defined above
Time Traveler
The first known use of process was
in the 14th century
Phrases Containing process
Dictionary Entries Near process
Cite this Entry
“Process.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/process. Accessed 7 Dec. 2023.
Copy Citation
Kids Definition
1
a
: advance entry 2 sense 1
the process of time
b
: something going on
2
a
: a natural continuing action or series of actions or changes
the process of growth
life processes
mental processes
b
: a series of actions or operations leading to a result
a manufacturing process
3
: the carrying on of a legal action
due process of law
4
: a bodily part that sticks out or is conspicuous : outgrowth
a bony process
process
2 of 2 verb1
: to change or prepare by special treatment
process foods
2
a
: to take care of according to a routine
process people looking for a job
process insurance claims
b
: to take in and organize for use in a variety of ways
computers process data
process information
Medical Definition
1
a
: a natural progressively continuing operation or development marked by a series of gradual changes that succeed one another in a relatively fixed way and lead toward a particular result or end
the process of growth
the process of digestion
b
: a natural continuing activity or function
such life processes as breathing and the circulation of the blood
2
: a prominent or projecting part of an organism or organic structure
a bone process
a nerve cell process
Legal Definition
process
noun
pro·cess
ˈprä-ˌses, ˈprō-
1
: a continuous operation, art, or method especially in manufacture
whoever invents or discovers any new and useful process…may obtain a patent therefor—U.S. Code
U.S. Code2
a
: procedure sense 1 see also abuse of process, due process
b
: a means (as a summons) used to compel a defendant to appear in court
broadly
: a means by which a court acquires or exercises jurisdiction over a person or property see also mesne process compare notice, service
Note: In civil procedure, service of a summons on a defendant is considered constitutionally sufficient process, although usually a copy of the complaint must also be provided according to the local rule of procedure.
More from Merriam-Webster on process
Nglish: Translation of process for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of process for Arabic Speakers
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