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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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
The series began in 2016 to promote dialogue and enhance police and community relationships. Michelle Mullins, Chicago Tribune, 27 Apr. 2026 In the three years preceding Richard’s death, police were dispatched to the Hollis apartment more than 25 times. Carol Marbin Miller, Miami Herald, 27 Apr. 2026
Verb
The tipster said they were notified by the school but expressed concern that the incident was not reported to police immediately. Aaron Parseghian, CBS News, 22 Apr. 2026 New Mexico recently won a $375 million civil case that held Meta liable for failing to police its sites for child predators, and a jury in Los Angeles found Meta, along with Google, liable for a 20-year-old woman's social media addiction. Aaron Katersky, ABC News, 17 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for police
Recent Examples of Synonyms for police
Noun
  • The internal documents were released only after the Union-Tribune pressed for the records, citing language in Atkins’ law.
    Kelly Davis, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 Apr. 2026
  • Various states have laws that ban people under the age of 21 from purchasing firearms, and there are five pending Supreme Court petitions that challenge a variety of these laws across the country.
    Jack Birle, The Washington Examiner, 25 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • Several British constabularies have added EVs to their fleets for urban policing duties, often using models such as the Hyundai Kona Electric, Nissan Leaf and the BMW i3.
    Peter Lyon, Forbes.com, 8 Mar. 2026
  • The local constabulary said the British Transport Police was leading the investigation.
    Brie Stimson, FOXNews.com, 2 Nov. 2025
Verb
  • Stay honest, keep your promises realistic, and let the connection adjust naturally instead of trying to control the outcome.
    Tarot.com, New York Daily News, 25 Apr. 2026
  • Till the final whistle, or James’ final words, leaving Toyota Center on Friday with a controlling advantage en route to a potential second-round showdown with the defending champs, that desperation was evident.
    Benjamin Royer, Oc Register, 25 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • The last time three carriers operated in the CENTCOM area of responsibility was back in 2003.
    Sarah Dean, NBC news, 25 Apr. 2026
  • Their meteoric rise in just the last year is deeply troubling, and state Attorney General Nick Brown is right to have filed a recent lawsuit to stop Kalshi, one of the largest markets, from operating in Washington state.
    Editorial, Boston Herald, 25 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • These layers and features work together to pull heat away from the body, regulate temperature throughout the night and promote constant airflow rather than trapping warmth.
    Alora Bopray, USA Today, 25 Apr. 2026
  • They’re regulated by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality to ensure proper safeguards are in place to prevent microscopic cement particles from causing health problems in nearby residents.
    Harrison Mantas, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 25 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • Working with local police, the Secret Service conducted site reviews of the sprawling complex and established a security perimeter to prevent suspicious individuals from approaching the president and other VIP attendees.
    Michael Collins, USA Today, 27 Apr. 2026
  • The Ravens conducted a protracted search, hiring Los Angeles Chargers defensive coordinator Jesse Minter — one of Harbaugh’s former assistants — as the franchise’s fourth head coach.
    Michael Silver, New York Times, 27 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • Homelessness, drug abuse and related crimes have increased relentlessly under the watch of local homelessness experts and a governing body that is dominated by liberal Democrats and those with an even more extreme view to the left.
    Sarah Rumpf-Whitten, FOXNews.com, 25 Apr. 2026
  • The technocrats, many of whom are career officials from the Palestinian Authority that governs parts of the occupied West Bank, have instead spent their time in meetings, making policy plans for their eventual return to the Gaza Strip and its mounting humanitarian challenges.
    Matt Bradley, NBC news, 25 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • The casting has always managed to feel diverse, but in a guileless, incidental way, giving the appearance of multicultural inclusion without espousing any explicitly progressive viewpoints.
    Hua Hsu, New Yorker, 29 Apr. 2026
  • The Bruins managed to keep it tight through the end of the first, with the Sabres taking that 1-0 lead into the first intermission.
    Matt Reigle OutKick, FOXNews.com, 29 Apr. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Police.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/police. Accessed 29 Apr. 2026.

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