procedure
Americannoun
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procedures
plural
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an act or a manner of proceeding in any action or process; conduct.
- Synonyms:
- management
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a particular course or mode of action.
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any given mode of conducting legal, parliamentary, or other business, especially litigation and judicial proceedings.
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Computers.
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the sequence of actions or instructions to be followed in solving a problem or accomplishing a task.
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Also called subprogram. a group of statements that may be used at one or more points in a computer program.
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noun
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a way of acting or progressing in a course of action, esp an established method
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the established mode or form of conducting the business of a legislature, the enforcement of a legal right, etc
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computing another name for subroutine
Usage
What does procedure mean? A procedure is a particular way of doing something, especially one that is usually repeated in the same way each time. This is how the word is used in the phrases standard procedure and follow procedure, as in It’s important to follow procedure in the event of an emergency. The word procedure can also refer to a particular course of action, as in The instructions list all the steps of the procedure. This is especially used in professional and technical contexts. In a legal context, the word refers to the specific way that proceedings need to be carried out according to the rules. In a medical context, procedure is used as a synonym for operation, as in I’m having a minor procedure done tomorrow. In computers and programming, a procedure is a series or instructions followed in order to complete some task, often as part of a program. Example: This is not proper procedure! Who’s in charge here?
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of procedure
From the French word procédure, dating back to 1605–15. See proceed, -ure
Explanation
A procedure is a tried and true process or method used to accomplish a particular task. Using sharp metal picks, dentists scrape the plaque from their patients’ teeth. While effective, it’s a procedure most people despise. The word procedure is often used in the fields of medicine and law, sometimes in combination with other words, as in "surgical procedure" or "legal procedure." A "Parliamentary procedure" is the set of rules that you follow at a meeting of a club or some other organization (not necessarily a House of Parliament). Procedure is also related to the word procedural, which is sometimes used a term for a genre of television drama in which the plot revolves around a technical procedure, like the solving of a police case.
Vocabulary lists containing procedure
Jim Burke's Academic Vocabulary List
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TEKS ELAR Academic Vocabulary List (5th-7th grades)
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The Scientific Method
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
“All the while, the hallmark of this case stared back at us: a flawed eyewitness identification procedure that never should have led to a conviction.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 22, 2026
After landing, the aircraft taxied to the gate, and emergency personnel met the aircraft upon arrival, per procedure.
From BBC ● Aug. 22, 2026
But the company refused, so a procedure is underway to determine whether they will be forced to pull the drug.
From Barron's ● Aug. 19, 2026
After 10 weeks of pregnancy a medical abortion can be done at a clinic or hospital, or women can have a short medical procedure, known as a surgical abortion.
From BBC ● Aug. 17, 2026
Shawn’s undergoing this painful and expensive procedure is the reason my parents would take me to an orthodontist to correct the same defect, which was genetic.
From "Educated" by Tara Westover
The oceans ministry said this week that "consultations with key relevant countries and agencies" have been completed to "implement administrative procedures necessary" for the voyage.
From Barron's ● Aug. 22, 2026
Losing her health insurance forces her to swallow the hefty out-of-pocket cost of medical procedures.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 20, 2026
“The independent directors support the actions the company has already taken to bolster its internal policies and procedures, as well as the additional enhancements that will be implemented.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 20, 2026
South Korea has reviewed "practical military contributions" it could make, while taking into account its defence readiness and domestic legal procedures, national security adviser Wi Sung-lac told reporters.
From Barron's ● Aug. 18, 2026
“You must follow the procedures exactly,” he went on.
From "The Hot Zone" by Richard Preston
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
