1
as in rules
an accepted way of conducting oneself in a given situation
Their behavior was considered a breach of diplomatic protocol.
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Relevance
2
as in procedures
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
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Recent Examples of protocols
Gerjets said OpenAI and Gemini also have two different protocols for agentic commerce.
—
Gabrielle Fonrouge, CNBC, 24 Mar. 2026
Employers and safety officers must develop training and usage protocols.
—Srishti Gupta, Interesting Engineering, 24 Mar. 2026
The four suspects – Tamela Peterson, Gary Marken, Alita Moffitt and Jeffrey Mostellar – are accused of not following safety protocols while working at the facility.
—Elaine Rojas-Castillo, CBS News, 23 Mar. 2026
At Swiss Medica, care is delivered by coordinated teams that include regenerative medicine specialists, neurologists, pediatric physicians, and rehabilitation professionals, working together to design personalized medical protocols tailored to each child’s specific needs.
—Wyles Daniel, USA Today, 23 Mar. 2026
The idea, inspired by Khoruts’ protocols, was to streamline and standardize what had previously been a patchwork.
—Eric Boodman, STAT, 23 Mar. 2026
In light of the purchases, as well as a heightened threat environment during the war with Iran, CNN spoke to Weimer and national security experts to better understand Phantom’s security protocols, business and value to law enforcement.
—Eric Levenson, CNN Money, 21 Mar. 2026
First and foremost, travelers have become increasingly reliant on expert guidance to navigate fluctuating travel advisories, shifting entry requirements, and health protocols.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 17 Mar. 2026
Clinics that invest in patient education and follow-up protocols may help address logistical challenges for international patients that can otherwise escalate into dissatisfaction.
—Miami Herald, 17 Mar. 2026
Gabrielle Fonrouge, CNBC, 24 Mar. 2026
Employers and safety officers must develop training and usage protocols.
—Srishti Gupta, Interesting Engineering, 24 Mar. 2026
The four suspects – Tamela Peterson, Gary Marken, Alita Moffitt and Jeffrey Mostellar – are accused of not following safety protocols while working at the facility.
—Elaine Rojas-Castillo, CBS News, 23 Mar. 2026
At Swiss Medica, care is delivered by coordinated teams that include regenerative medicine specialists, neurologists, pediatric physicians, and rehabilitation professionals, working together to design personalized medical protocols tailored to each child’s specific needs.
—Wyles Daniel, USA Today, 23 Mar. 2026
The idea, inspired by Khoruts’ protocols, was to streamline and standardize what had previously been a patchwork.
—Eric Boodman, STAT, 23 Mar. 2026
In light of the purchases, as well as a heightened threat environment during the war with Iran, CNN spoke to Weimer and national security experts to better understand Phantom’s security protocols, business and value to law enforcement.
—Eric Levenson, CNN Money, 21 Mar. 2026
First and foremost, travelers have become increasingly reliant on expert guidance to navigate fluctuating travel advisories, shifting entry requirements, and health protocols.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 17 Mar. 2026
Clinics that invest in patient education and follow-up protocols may help address logistical challenges for international patients that can otherwise escalate into dissatisfaction.
—Miami Herald, 17 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for protocols
Noun
-
All medical specialties have rules for filling out their notes, and ABA providers shouldn’t need the state to tell them that copying and pasting the same summary for each session, as the inspectors found in some cases, wasn’t good enough, Bimestefer said.—
Meg Wingerter,
Denver Post,
22 Mar. 2026
-
Teams are required to demonstrate that there was a misapplication of the official playing rules, as opposed to an error in judgment by game officials, according to the NBA.—
Jason Beede,
The Orlando Sentinel,
22 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
All mission events are subject to change, to an even greater extent than ISS missions, because Artemis 2 is developing procedures and systems for the wider Artemis program.—
Elizabeth Howell,
Space.com,
28 Mar. 2026
-
As part of the legal fight over the ban, Anthropic also filed a complaint in an appellate court in Washington, DC, focusing on a law governing procedures for mitigating supply-chain risks in procurement.—
Bloomberg,
Mercury News,
27 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Students are schooled in the oceanic environment, first aid, CPR, mutual cooperation, competition techniques and lifesaving methods.—
Jessie Dax-Setkus,
Oc Register,
22 Mar. 2026
-
Advances in fabrication techniques and growing environmental awareness will likely accelerate their transition from laboratory innovation to commercial application.—
Prabhat Ranjan Mishra,
Interesting Engineering,
21 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Small courtesies keep big efforts moving forward.—
Tarot.com,
New York Daily News,
15 Mar. 2026
-
With both courtesies and catastrophes refusing to conform, the canton’s school board, publishers, and clergy were forced to produce multiple editions of primers, textbooks, and catechisms; sometimes five parallel print runs were needed for a population the size of a town.—
Simon Akam,
New Yorker,
1 Dec. 2025
Noun
-
But the investments may complicate Steyer’s campaign narrative as an anti-plutocrat progressive who aims to tax corporations and the rich to fund policies like single-payer health care.—
Ben Paviour,
Sacbee.com,
28 Mar. 2026
-
The court also questioned how the state and federal government made their legal access policies known to detainees and their lawyers.—
Claire Heddles,
Miami Herald,
28 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The study and device are likely to help researchers understand biological systems, such as circadian rhythms, and nonreciprocal processes, such as how the body breaks down food.—
Ameya Paleja,
Interesting Engineering,
23 Mar. 2026
-
December 22 – January 19 Small systems make your day run smoother.—
Tarot.com,
Chicago Tribune,
23 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Protocols.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/protocols. Accessed 29 Mar. 2026.
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