This page from our English for Police section lists language that police need in an English-speaking context. Each word is shown with its contextual meaning and an example sentence.
After reviewing this vocabulary, you may like to try our police vocabulary quiz.
| vocabulary part of speech |
meaning | example sentence |
|---|---|---|
| arrest verb |
take into police control | My partner arrested the man who set fire to the building. |
| assailant noun |
person who assaults or attacks | Did you see the assailant run away? |
| at large, on the loose | not caught, running free | I’m afraid that the man who robbed the bank is still at large. |
| armed and dangerous adjectives |
is carrying a weapon and has a violent background | Do not approach the thief if you see him. He is considered armed and dangerous. |
| back-up noun |
police that are called in to support or help | We’re calling for back-up now that we know she has a gun. |
| bail noun |
large amount of money that someone pays as a promise to appear in cour | Your husband’s bail is posted at $20,000. |
| baton, night stick noun |
heavy stick that police use for controlling crowds or defending themselves | No, we don’t carry guns. We only have batons. |
| book sby verb |
register someone as a criminal | We’re taking your brother down to the station to book him. |
| break into verb |
enter a residence, car, or business illegally | Do you have any idea who would have broken into your car? |
| burglar noun |
a person who breaks into a home or business and steals items | We think the burglar got in through your chimney. |
| cell noun |
individual room in a jail or prison | We’ll have to keep you in a cell until someone comes to pay your bail. |
| convict noun |
a person who is doing (or supposed to be doing) jailtime | Please be aware that there is a convict on the loose. |
| cop, copper noun |
police officer (common slang) | Did somebody here call the cops? |
| criminal record noun |
a file that lists all of the crimes a person has committed | We don’t allow anyone with a criminal record into our country. |
| crime scene noun |
the place where a crime happened | Please stay outside the yellow tape. This is a crime scene. |
| cruiser, squad car noun |
police car | Please step out of your vehicle and get into the police cruiser. |
| (in) custody noun |
under police control | You will be happy to know that we have taken the kidnapper into custody. |
| DUI, DWI | driving after drinking too much alcohol (Driving Under the Influence, Driving While Intoxicated) |
Your record says that you have two previous DUIs. |
| detective noun |
police officer responsible for solving crime | The detective is going to ask you a few questions about the man’s appearance. |
| do time verb + noun |
receive punishment for a crime by spending time in jail | You won’t be required to do any time but you will have to pay a fine. |
| domestic dispute | argument/trouble in the home(often leads to violence) | We’ve had a number of calls reporting a domestic dispute in your hotel room. |
| escape verb |
get away from a holding place | If you try to escape we will have to restrain you with handcuffs. |
| felony noun |
a major crime (e.g. murder) | Murder is considered a felony and is punishable by life in prison. |
| fine noun |
money that a person pays for breaking a law | You can get charged a large fine for speeding in a school zone. |
| fingerprints noun |
marks left by fingers that identify a person | We’re going to have to check your personal belongings for fingerprints. |
| firearms noun |
weapons that shoot | It is illegal to carry unregistered firearms such as rifles and pistols. |
| gang noun |
a group of people often associated with crime and drugs | Stay away from this area at night as there is a lot of gang activity. |
| guilty adjective |
responsible for a crime, deserving of punishment | You will be considered innocent until you are proven guilty. |
| handcuffs noun |
metal rings that attach to wrists to keep criminals (or the accused) from escaping | We put your boyfriend in handcuffs, because we saw him climbing through your window and thought he was an intruder. |
| innocent adjective |
not responsible for the crime | We’ll believe you are innocent when you show us your receipt for the items in the bag. |
| intruder noun |
a person who enters a home or business illegally | Someone called to report an intruder on the third floor. |
| jail, prison noun |
a place where criminals are confined | The guards will be patrolling the prison all day long. |
| misdemeanor noun |
a minor crime (punishment is usually a fine or less than one year in jail) | Stealing a road sign is considered a misdemeanor,but is punishable by a large fine. |
| noise complaint | a call to the police to complain of disturbing noise (usually music or a party) | Two of your neighbours have made a noise complaint tonight. |
| partner noun |
another officer that a policeman drives and works with | I’m going to get you to tell your story to my partner. |
| patrol verb on patrol |
observe and protect an area | We always patrol the downtown core on the weekends. |
| perpetrator noun |
person who committed the crime | The perpetrator is still at large. |
| pickpocket noun |
a thief who steals from people’s pockets in transit or in crowds | Beware of pickpockets on the subway. |
| pistol noun |
a hand held firearm | Our local cops carry pistols but rarely use them. |
| pursuit noun |
the act of searching for | We are in pursuit of a man in a green jacket and orange pants. |
| radar | radio wave transmission that helps police track cars and map crime scenes | According to our radar you were driving well above the speed limit. |
| robbery noun |
theft; taking something that does not belong to you, often with force | We have twenty officers investigating the bank robbery. |
| speeding ticket | a fine given to a driver who gets caught driving beyond the speed limit | Your license shows a clean driving record except for one speeding ticket from five years ago. |
| steal verb |
to take something that does not belong to you | Do you know who stole your wallet? |
| street crime noun |
crime such as drugs and prostitution | Don’t give the beggars any money. You will only be promoting street crime. |
| thief noun |
somebody who steals | We have found the thief who stole your car. |
| walkie-talkie noun |
hand held radio each partner carries | My partner told me your license plate over his walkie-talkie. |
| wanted | being searched for by police | A man from your hotel is wanted for his involvement in a murder. |
| witness verb |
to see something happen | Three people witnessed the murder but they are afraid to speak. |
| young offender, juvenile delinquent | a minor who commits a crime (usually under age of 18) | Your punishment will be less severe because you are a young offender. |
Thesaurus
Synonyms of policeman
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as in cop
- as in cop
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policeman
noun
Definition of policeman
as in cop
a member of a force charged with law enforcement at the local level
reported the crime to the nearest policeman
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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cop
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officer
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constable
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sheriff
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police
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gendarme
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lawman
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police officer
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policewoman
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bobby
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detective
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inspector
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copper
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investigator
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patrolman
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sergeant
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flatfoot
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constabulary
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shamus
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trooper
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bull
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fuzz
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lieutenant
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marshal
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man
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sleuth
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plainclothesman
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dick
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gumshoe
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operative
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sherlock
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police force
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hawkshaw
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captain
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peace officer
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sleuthhound
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marshall
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private investigator
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private detective
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private eye
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heat
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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civilian
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civilian
Thesaurus Entries Near policeman
police forces
policeman
policemen
See More Nearby Entries 
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“Policeman.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/policeman. Accessed 13 Apr. 2023.
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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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an experienced policeman whose partner is a rookie — опытный полицейский, напарник которого является новичком 
the shrill sound of a policeman’s whistle — пронзительный звук полицейского свистка
to bribe a policeman — подкупать полицейского
policeman ordered the wild driver to pull over — полицейский приказал водителю-лихачу прижаться к обочине и остановиться
there is policeman watching outside the building — у здания дежурит полицейский
air policeman — полицейский ВВС
duty policeman — дежурный полицейский
traffic policeman — инспектор дорожного движения; автоинспектор; гаишник
we had a visit from a policeman — к нам приходил полицейский
policeman on duty — будочник
highway patrolman / policeman — автоинспектор
policeman on point duty — постовой
The policeman caught the thief.
Полицейский задержал вора.
The policeman kicked the door open.
Полицейский распахнул дверь ногой.
The policeman blew his whistle.
Полицейский свистнул в свисток.
The policeman was killed by a single shot.
Полицейский был убит одним выстрелом.
I showed my driver’s license to the policeman.
Я показал полцейскому свои права.
The policeman downed the heavily armed suspect.
Полицейский повалил на землю вооружённого до зубов подозреваемого.
Bob down behind the wall, there’s a policeman coming.
Присядь за стенку, полицейский идёт.
ещё 23 примера свернуть
The policeman flashed his badge. 
She wept as the policeman confirmed her worst fears.
The policeman snapped the handcuffs around her wrist.
Для того чтобы добавить вариант перевода, кликните по иконке ☰, напротив примера.
1) General subject: Robert, beetle crusher, blue coat, bluecoat, bull, constable, constabulary, copper, flatfoot, flattie, jemadar, law, officer, pandoor, pandour, peon, police, police constable, police officer, policeman, ranger, raw ( unboiled) lobster, shamus, zaptiah , zaptieh , lawman, blue , Man, legman
2) Colloquial: Bob, Dob, Dobbin, Rob, Robbie, Robin, bluebottle, bogie, bogy, cop, the law
7) Military: cop, trouble shooter
9) Law: law enforcer , peace officer, police servant, policial
10) Australian slang: jack, trap , trooper , walloper
12) Jargon: Johnny-be-good, Johny, Old Bill , Peter Jay, Uncle nab, badge, beetle-crusher, big John, bluebird, claw, cozzpot, flattle, flatty, fuzz, geerus, goms, headbeater, min, nab, oink, peeler, pounder, rozzer , slewfoot, slop, slop about, speed-cop, squadrol, the Bill , tin-badge, trap, uzz-fay, bottle , gimpy , grasshopper , hog , five-o , sharmus, Sam and Dave, mallet, nabber, nail-em-and-jail-em, Johnny Low, five oh, John, John Law, arm, azul, badge bandit, bogie bogy, collar, cookie-cutter cooky-cutter, cow-boy, cowboy, dick, elbow, finger, fink, flat-head, fuzzy, fuzzy=le, harness boll, leatherhead, long-arm, mug, mugg, mulligan, occifer, ossifer, paddy, patty, peel, penny, pig, potsie, potsy, pottsy, roach, shammus , shamos , shamus , shomimus , skull-buster, slough, snake, stick, tin
14) American English: shommus
15) leg.N.P. police officer , policeman
- constable
- detective
- man
- officer
- patrolman
- police
- badge
- bear
- blue
- bluecoat
- bobby
- bull
- constabulary
- cop
- copper
- corps
- fed
- flatfoot
- force
- fuzz
- gendarme
- gumshoe
- heat
- law
- narc
- officers
- oink
- pig
- boy scout
- county mounty
- finest
- law enforcement
- patrolwoman
- peace officer
Roget’s 21st Century Thesaurus, Third Edition Copyright © 2013 by the Philip Lief Group.
On this page you’ll find 45 synonyms, antonyms, and words related to policeman, such as: constable, detective, man, officer, patrolman, and police.
TRY USING policeman
See how your sentence looks with different synonyms.
How to use policeman in a sentence
SYNONYM OF THE DAY
OCTOBER 26, 1985
WORDS RELATED TO POLICEMAN
- bobby
- constable
- cop
- detective
- flatfoot
- officer
- patrolman
- patrolwoman
- peace officer
- policeman
- policewoman
- bluecoat
- cop
- detective
- flatfoot
- officer
- patrolman
- patrolwoman
- peace officer
- police
- policeman
- policewoman
- bluecoat
- bobby
- cop
- detective
- flatfoot
- officer
- patrolman
- patrolwoman
- peace officer
- policeman
- policewoman
- deputy
- flatfoot
- fuzz
- lawman
- officer of the law
- patrolman
- patrolwoman
- peace officer
- police officer
- policeman
- policewoman
- sheriff
- the man
- bluecoat
- bobby
- cop
- detective
- officer
- patrolman
- patrolwoman
- peace officer
- police
- policeman
- policewoman
- MP
- constable
- cop
- deputy
- detective
- flatfoot
- fuzz
- law enforcement agent
- lawman
- lawwoman
- marshal
- meter maid
- military police
- mounted police officer
- patrolman
- patrolwoman
- peace officer
- police woman
- policeman
- sheriff
- the man
- traffic officer
- trooper
Roget’s 21st Century Thesaurus, Third Edition Copyright © 2013 by the Philip Lief Group.