policeman
noun
po·lice·man
pə-ˈlēs-mən 
1
: a member of a police force
2
: one held to resemble a policeman
making the United States the policeman for the whole wide world—
R. B. Long
R. B. Long
Synonyms
Examples of policeman in a Sentence
reported the crime to the nearest policeman
Recent Examples on the Web
New crews of policemen from Detroit, Flint, Sarnia, Ontario, and special deputies relieved other enforcement officers and State Policemen who had been on duty all day.
—Jerome Hansen, Jack Schermerhorn, Ralph Nelson and Ken McCormick, Detroit Free Press, 6 Apr. 2024
The story began with a policeman calling Vincent’s mother.
—Peter Hessler, The New Yorker, 1 Apr. 2024
One of the soldiers asked a German policeman if the papers were in order, according to a newspaper published by the regiment after the incident.
—Richard Sandomir, New York Times, 22 Mar. 2024
As the officer interviewed him, police said Hatch arrived and tried opening the squad car’s doors with the policeman and Regans inside.
—Sarah Nelson, The Indianapolis Star, 23 Feb. 2024
In another, a policeman grows alarmed after his wife, who was missing at sea, returns and appears to be a different person.
—Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 27 Mar. 2024
Others suggest that Arab countries like Egypt and Jordan could send a peacekeeping force to support the authority’s policemen.
—Patrick Kingsley, New York Times, 3 Mar. 2024
One Friday, two policemen arrived at her family home and asked her to go to the police station – an anonymous tipster had accused her of gang membership.
—Stefano Pozzebon, CNN, 3 Feb. 2024
Clark was in pain as she was escorted to the locker room by a policeman with teammates by her side.
—Staff Report, USA TODAY, 23 Jan. 2024
Jerome Hansen, Jack Schermerhorn, Ralph Nelson and Ken McCormick, Detroit Free Press, 6 Apr. 2024
The story began with a policeman calling Vincent’s mother.
—Peter Hessler, The New Yorker, 1 Apr. 2024
One of the soldiers asked a German policeman if the papers were in order, according to a newspaper published by the regiment after the incident.
—Richard Sandomir, New York Times, 22 Mar. 2024
As the officer interviewed him, police said Hatch arrived and tried opening the squad car’s doors with the policeman and Regans inside.
—Sarah Nelson, The Indianapolis Star, 23 Feb. 2024
In another, a policeman grows alarmed after his wife, who was missing at sea, returns and appears to be a different person.
—Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 27 Mar. 2024
Others suggest that Arab countries like Egypt and Jordan could send a peacekeeping force to support the authority’s policemen.
—Patrick Kingsley, New York Times, 3 Mar. 2024
One Friday, two policemen arrived at her family home and asked her to go to the police station – an anonymous tipster had accused her of gang membership.
—Stefano Pozzebon, CNN, 3 Feb. 2024
Clark was in pain as she was escorted to the locker room by a policeman with teammates by her side.
—Staff Report, USA TODAY, 23 Jan. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'policeman.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
First Known Use
1788, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Dictionary Entries Near policeman
Cite this Entry
“Policeman.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/policeman. Accessed 18 Apr. 2024.
Copy Citation
Kids Definition
policeman
noun
po·lice·man
pə-ˈlē-smən
Medical Definition
policeman
noun
po·lice·man
pə-ˈlēs-mən
plural policemen
-mən
: an instrument (as a flat piece of rubber on a glass rod) for removing solids from a vessel (as a beaker)
More from Merriam-Webster on policeman
Nglish: Translation of policeman for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of policeman for Arabic Speakers
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