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
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
Since the civil-rights era, the federal government has policed the police, ensuring oversight after brutality is carried out by people wearing badges, whether in Selma in 1965 or Minneapolis in 2020. Isaac Stanley-Becker, The Atlantic, 30 Jan. 2026 Sutton said Minneapolis policing has collapsed since the 2020 unrest, noting the city is authorized for about 900 officers but now has roughly 550, with only around 265 patrol officers available to police the entire city. Stepheny Price , Ashley Papa, FOXNews.com, 27 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for police
Recent Examples of Synonyms for police
Noun
  • The move comes as nine local district attorneys launched a coalition this week to assist in prosecuting federal law enforcement officers who violate state laws.
    Emma Tucker, CNN Money, 1 Feb. 2026
  • The documents were disclosed as mandated by a law requiring the government to open its files on the late financier and his confidant and onetime girlfriend, Maxwell.
    Jackson Thompson, FOXNews.com, 1 Feb. 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
  • But, like the media companies, both banks are regulated by his Administration, creating an incentive to settle.
    David D. Kirkpatrick, New Yorker, 31 Jan. 2026
  • Breathable, flexible fabrics help regulate temperature and move with your body—especially when layered intentionally.
    Rosie Marder, Travel + Leisure, 31 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • The agreement, signed by the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore, Airbus, and CFM International, will see Singapore conduct real-world evaluations of open-fan engines developed under CFM’s Revolutionary Innovation for Sustainable Engines program.
    Sujita Sinha, Interesting Engineering, 2 Feb. 2026
  • According to a 2025 market analysis conducted by OfferUp, a mobile marketplace app, 69% of shoppers turn to secondhand when the economy gets shaky.
    Mari Sato The Dallas Morning News, Arkansas Online, 1 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • The governing bodies for sports ranging from swimming and track to pursuits like chess and darts have banned trans women from women’s events.
    Jo Yurcaba, NBC news, 31 Jan. 2026
  • While the number of women in the game has grown, only 14% of the membership in the US Chess Federation is female, according to the governing body and nonprofit representing the United States in the World Chess Federation.
    Lisa Deaderick, San Diego Union-Tribune, 31 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • His campaign disputes that characterization, emphasizing his role on the administration’s FEMA Review Council, a body tasked with evaluating disaster policy rather than managing day-to-day operations, according to reporting from the Charlotte Observer.
    Samantha-Jo Roth, The Washington Examiner, 4 Feb. 2026
  • An American surfer managed to drag his surfboard onto the train, even though it wasn’t allowed.
    Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 3 Feb. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Police.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/police. Accessed 6 Feb. 2026.

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