police 1 of 2

Definition of policenext
1
as in law
the department of government that keeps order, fights crime, and enforces statutes the appearance of a ransom note meant that the teenager's disappearance was now a matter for the police

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2
as in constabulary
a body of officers of the law the National Guard will serve as backup for the metropolitan police in the event of violent protests

Synonyms & Similar Words

police

2 of 2

verb

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of police
Noun
Related: Austin police weren’t required to call ICE. Dante Motley, Austin American Statesman, 20 Jan. 2026 City leaders continue to ignore what is really needed — a larger permanent police presence and proactive law enforcement. Paul Vallas, Chicago Tribune, 20 Jan. 2026
Verb
Authorities in California have struggled to police fireworks for years. Jake Goodrick, Sacbee.com, 22 Jan. 2026 New York’s law was enacted amid a broader debate over who should police AI (with federal authorities questioning state-by-state rules), but New York has clearly decided not to wait. Aj Dhaliwal, Forbes.com, 21 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for police
Recent Examples of Synonyms for police
Noun
  • Provisions in the new law that go into effect this year aim to change that.
    Editorial, Boston Herald, 25 Jan. 2026
  • While federal law makes Ross immune from being directly sued for assault or wrongful death in Good’s shooting, he could be named as a defendant – and end up in front of a jury – in a suit accusing him of denying Good’s civil rights.
    Andy Rose, CNN Money, 25 Jan. 2026
Noun
  • The local constabulary said the British Transport Police was leading the investigation.
    Brie Stimson, FOXNews.com, 2 Nov. 2025
  • The decision was made on the advice of West Midlands Police, the constabulary with responsibility for overseeing security at the match.
    Phil Hay, New York Times, 17 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • The lawsuit accused Reina of secretly opening and controlling corporate credit cards and using station funds to pay mortgage and property tax bills on his West Sacramento home.
    Ishani Desai, Sacbee.com, 30 Jan. 2026
  • According to a 2020 study published in Nature Communications, which compared populations from different vent fields, the scaly-foot gastropod’s iron sulfide mineralization is biologically controlled and tied to gene expression.
    Scott Travers, Forbes.com, 30 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • Another challenger, OneWeb, is operated by France's Eutelsat and has a constellation of more than 600 satellites.
    Annie Palmer, CNBC, 31 Jan. 2026
  • Dosunmu operated at times like a one-man wrecking crew, forcing his way downhill in the half court and cracking open the Heat’s confounded defense in the flow of transition.
    Julia Poe, Chicago Tribune, 30 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • For governments, regulating the accelerating pace of the entire ecosystem poses the greatest threats.
    Dean DeBiase, Forbes.com, 24 Jan. 2026
  • Its anti-aging properties help prevent the formation of fine lines, improve overall luminosity, and regulate excess melanin production—one of the main causes of dark spots.
    Beatrice Zocchi, Vogue, 23 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • Can Minnesota conduct its own investigation?
    Esme Murphy, CBS News, 12 Jan. 2026
  • Researchers at the Universities of Edinburgh and Cambridge conducted the first large-scale analysis of isotopic and ancient DNA data in cemeteries from early medieval England to assess their migration patterns, according to a press release by the University of Edinburgh.
    Maria Mocerino, Interesting Engineering, 11 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • Distribution still has to be designed, governed and maintained.
    Kolawole Samuel Adebayo, Forbes.com, 25 Jan. 2026
  • Publicly, Sheinbaum has defended the policy, saying oil deliveries to Cuba are governed by long-term contracts and constitute a form of humanitarian aid.
    Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 24 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • The side managed by former Kazakhstan international Rafael Urazbakhtin have now lost four games in a row in the Champions League.
    Will Jeanes, New York Times, 28 Jan. 2026
  • Bad things always linger, but usually at the margins, where they're somewhat easily managed.
    Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 28 Jan. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Police.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/police. Accessed 1 Feb. 2026.

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