protocol

noun

Definition of protocolnext
1
as in etiquette
an accepted way of conducting oneself in a given situation Their behavior was considered a breach of diplomatic protocol.

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2
as in procedure
a preestablished method of carrying out a task and especially a scientific or medical task The school developed a protocol for the treatment of concussions on the sports field.

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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 protocol Until those protocols are developed, the default will often be to treat a standing wall as debris rather than a valuable building block for the future. — Giorgia Giardina, The Conversation, 13 Aug. 2026 Ehrenberg, the party spokesperson, said this was due to an error involving anti-fraud protocols. — Erin Mansfield, USA Today, 13 Aug. 2026 Vasee Moorthy, head of the WHO’s R&D blueprint program, said the agency is on the verge of submitting a trial protocol to regulatory and ethics committee officials in the DRC to seek their approval. — Helen Branswell, STAT, 12 Aug. 2026 The main camera—the one that's on the gimbal—supports a variety of protocols currently used in the entertainment industry, including ARRI Cinema LogC3 recording and ARRI Wide Gamut 3. — Florence Ion, PC Magazine, 12 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for protocol
Recent Examples of Synonyms for protocol
  1. etiquette
  2. procedure
  3. rules
  4. technique
  5. system
  6. program
  7. policy
  8. strategy
Noun
  • Not just a student problem Lapses in email etiquette are not limited to exchanges between faculty and students.
    — Austin Sarat, The Conversation, 13 Aug. 2026
  • Industry leaders advocate for broad consumer choice, emphasizing public etiquette and regulated consumption sites.
    — Peter Su, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of etiquette
Noun
  • Midwives are medically trained to perform many of the same functions and procedures as doctors when women are having babies in low-risk situations.
    — Kristin Wright, NPR, 11 Aug. 2026
  • The Constitution specifically says that the state should determine the time and date and procedure of elections.
    — Dana Taylor, USA Today, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of procedure
Noun
  • The question for several speakers was not necessarily whether data centers should exist in Marietta, but what rules should govern them.
    — Zachary Bynum, CBS News, 13 Aug. 2026
  • New federal rules are creating issues for states The federal rules in question were first proposed last year and were finalized in May.
    — P.R. Lockhart, Hartford Courant, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of rules
Noun
  • Ottchil, a Korean lacquer technique, can be spotted on a vessel in the kitchen and the custom screens Kim’s studio commissioned for the primary bedroom.
    — Hannah Martin, Architectural Digest, 14 Aug. 2026
  • Yet another East Village gem, this bakery differs from other neighborhood spots because of its use of Malaysian flavors by way of French techniques.
    — Kyle Beechey, Condé Nast Traveler, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of technique
Noun
  • Sustainability initiatives With the ship redo, Windstar added more energy efficient engines that reduce emissions of nitrous and sulfur oxides Advanced wastewater treatment systems were also installed.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 12 Aug. 2026
  • Manske had campaigned as a political outsider, urging reforms to the state’s healthcare and election systems, while also calling for a ban on data centers.
    — Molly Parks, The Washington Examiner, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of system
Noun
  • City spokesperson Brian Chasnoff told the San Antonio Current that the ballot structure for the bond program has not been determined and the city council will be briefed on the matter in September.
    — Jared Weiss, New York Times, 15 Aug. 2026
  • Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said in late July that Myanmar had agreed to take back 5,000 Rohingya refugees currently living in Malaysia as part of a repatriation program.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 15 Aug. 2026
Definition of program
Noun
  • The race has been shaped by the killing of Renee Good and Alex Pretti by federal immigration officers in Minneapolis, confrontations that were caught on camera and fueled a backlash to Trump’s immigration policies.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 10 Aug. 2026
  • Federal policy calls for additional nuclear capacity, including efforts to begin construction of 10 new large reactors by 2030 and increase the maximum operating power of existing reactors.
    — Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of policy
Noun
  • Crews arrived and immediately adopted a defensive strategy while trying to bring the blaze under control.
    — Christa Swanson, CBS News, 13 Aug. 2026
  • Amir Becker, Dream’s chief business and strategy officer, said the way the AI system operated in this latest case was alarming.
    — John Liu, CNN Money, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of strategy

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Cite this Entry

“Protocol.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/protocol. Accessed 15 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on protocol

Nglish: Translation of protocol for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about protocol

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