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

Faith recalls Lucy talking about how her father, a policeman, would come for her one day, and arrest the Gibbs, who severely mistreated their various wards. —Andy Crump, Time, 20 July 2025

The video then shows the driver of the Explorer stepping out of the car and walking toward the policeman's vehicle. —Ryan Murphy, IndyStar, 2 July 2025

The summer of unrest following the murder of Black father George Floyd by a White policeman stretched across dozens of US cities in the final year of Trump’s first term. —Andy Rose, CNN Money, 12 June 2025

Horrific as his killing by a white policeman was, it was unduly racialised by BLM. —Book Marks august 1, Literary Hub, 1 Aug. 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)