policeman

noun

po·​lice·​man pə-ˈlēs-mən How to pronounce policeman (audio)
1
: a member of a police force
2
: one held to resemble a policeman
making the United States the policeman for the whole wide worldR. B. Long

Examples of policeman in a Sentence

reported the crime to the nearest policeman
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
These ideas are laid out early in the first act, when an encounter between a policeman, Olim, and a fruit-stand thief, Severin, is presented to the audience. JSTOR Daily, 16 Oct. 2025 In a frantic but delicate rescue, captured on images and video reviewed by CNN, a policeman dug away the packed earth. Aishwarya S. Iyer, CNN Money, 16 Oct. 2025 Plan for new Palestinian police Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty says his country is training some 5,000 new Palestinian policemen for Gaza. NPR, 16 Oct. 2025 Through the streets of World War I Paris, the bohemian artist attempts to outmaneuver bombs, policemen, girlfriends, and critics in an increasingly desperate search of a home for his art. Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 6 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for policeman

Word History

First Known Use

1788, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of policeman was in 1788

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Policeman.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/policeman. Accessed 21 Oct. 2025.

Kids Definition

policeman

noun
po·​lice·​man pə-ˈlē-smən How to pronounce policeman (audio)

Medical Definition

policeman

noun
po·​lice·​man pə-ˈlēs-mən How to pronounce policeman (audio)
plural policemen -mən How to pronounce policeman (audio)
: an instrument (as a flat piece of rubber on a glass rod) for removing solids from a vessel (as a beaker)

More from Merriam-Webster on policeman

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!