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

Synonyms

• cop
• officer
• constable [chiefly British]

Examples of policeman in a Sentence

reported the crime to the nearest policeman

Recent Examples on the Web

He was stopped by policemen, who heard the story and waved them on. —Scott Fowler, Charlotte Observer, 16 July 2025

This is the meat of the film, tormenting Jeanne with all the possibilities (a friendly policeman tracks Suzanne to Belgium, where the trail goes cold). —Damon Wise, Deadline, 10 July 2025

Another in 1993 said they were killed by unnamed policemen. —Michelle Gumede, Los Angeles Times, 19 June 2025

But Europe cannot take the United States’ place as the world’s policeman. —Oona A. Hathaway, Foreign Affairs, 24 June 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1788, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for policeman

• policemen

Kids Definition

policeman

noun

po·​lice·​man pə-ˈlē-smən 

: police officer

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)