policy

¹ American  

[pol-uh-see] / ˈpɒl ə si /

noun

• policies
  plural

1. a definite course of action adopted for the sake of expediency, facility, etc..

   We have a new company policy.

   Synonyms:

   rule, principle, strategy

2. a course of action adopted and pursued by a government, ruler, political party, etc..

   our nation's foreign policy.

3. action or procedure conforming to or considered with reference to prudence or expediency.

   It was good policy to consent.

4. prudence or expediency; shrewdness.

   Showing great policy, he pitted his enemies against one another.

   Synonyms:

   wit, calculation, acumen, prudence

   Antonyms:

   naiveté

5. Rare. government; polity.

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policy ² American  

[pol-uh-see] / ˈpɒl ə si /

noun

• policies
  plural

1. a document embodying a contract of insurance.

2. a method of gambling in which bets are made on numbers to be drawn by lottery.

3. numbers pool.

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policy ¹ British  

/ ˈpɒlɪsɪ /

noun

1. a plan of action adopted or pursued by an individual, government, party, business, etc

2. wisdom, prudence, shrewdness, or sagacity

3. (often plural) the improved grounds surrounding a country house

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policy ² British  

/ ˈpɒlɪsɪ /

noun

1. a document containing a contract of insurance

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Usage

What does policy mean? Policy most commonly refers to a rule or plan of action, especially an official one adopted and followed by a group, organization, or government. Policy is most commonly used in the context of laws (government policy), a country’s course of action toward others (foreign policy), and the standards or rules that all members of an organization must follow (such as company policy and school policy). Policy also has several other meanings, including an insurance contract. Example: Management encourages carpooling, but they haven’t made it an official company policy yet.

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• policies
  plural

Etymology

Origin of policy¹

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English policie “art of government, government, civil administration,” from Middle French, from Latin polītīa polity

Origin of policy²

First recorded in 1555–65; from Middle French police “written proof, documentary evidence,” (from Italian polizza, from Medieval Latin apodissa, apodīxa “receipt, security,” ultimately from Greek apódeixis “a showing or setting forth”; see apodictic, -sis) + -y ³

Explanation

Did you just come up with a plan for reducing the number of paper clips your department uses at work each month? Then you’ve created a policy, a plan of action. The noun policy can be used to refer to a plan developed by an individual or a group. You’ll often see the word used to describe a plan developed by a government, such as a housing policy or a defense policy. A policy typically outlines a specific course of action designed to further the general goals of the group. The word can also be used to describe a formal written agreement, such as an insurance policy.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

policy policies

There are going to be exceptions to the rule, but oftentimes you see even these candidates leveraging social media and talking policy in a different way.

From Slate ● Oct. 6, 2026

Even beyond policy prescriptions, having renter candidates embrace their tenant identity has been useful for connecting with young voters, Litman said.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 6, 2026

Moving forward, the real policy challenge will revolve around transparency, the enforceability of existing laws and simply figuring out what type of disclosure would be helpful to voters.

From Salon ● Oct. 6, 2026

“I don’t know,” said Morgan Dwyer, OpenAI’s head of policy development and operations.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 5, 2026

The NSA’s new director was in favor of the new policy, taking the hard line that “All official cryptanalysis is a type of activity that should be protected no matter how old it has become.”

From "The Woman All Spies Fear" by Amy Butler Greenfield

Kingdom, the administration has asked the court, on the emergency docket, to lift an injunction currently preventing it from implementing policies that seek to deprive trans prisoners of much-needed healthcare and social accommodations.

From Slate ● Oct. 6, 2026

Historically, candidates focused on policies like down-payment assistance that can make buying a house more affordable, but today, more 20- and 30-somethings are staring down at years or even decades of renting.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 6, 2026

Tomé has since raised the company’s ‘likelihood to recommend’ scores, as well as its board policies.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 5, 2026

The network announced Monday that Leavitt, 29, known for her rapid-fire defense of Trump’s policies in the White House briefing room, will be delivering commentary and analysis across Fox News programs starting Nov. 1.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 5, 2026

The Durham industrialists were quick to silence any opposition to their policies, whether it came from inside or outside of the mills.

From "The Best of Enemies" by Osha Gray Davidson

Related Words

• action
• administration
• approach
• arrangement
• behavior
• code
• guideline
• management
• method
• plan
• practice
• program
• protocol
• rule
• scheme
• strategy
• theory