- present participle of police.
policing
Americannoun
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the act of maintaining public order and security, enforcing the law, or regulating or controlling something, by or as if by members of a police force.
No matter what style is adopted for the policing of a community, officers must use discretion in interpreting the activities of citizens.
Careful family use of the internet doesn't need to be a punitive policing of children's activities online.
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Military. the act of cleaning up a camp or post or of keeping it clean.
After the major’s visit, the policing of the entire camp and all the fighting positions improved 100 percent.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of policing
First recorded in 1830–40; police ( def. ) + -ing 1 ( def. )
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.
Del Castillo blamed the Mexican government for being largely “negligent” when it comes to policing coastal areas and the high seas.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 20, 2026
It is policing virtual romance, in part because it wants people to stop dating machines and start having babies.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 15, 2026
Brazilian authorities meanwhile have stepped up efforts to combat the crossings, but policing the remote frontier is extremely difficult, with smugglers using unofficial river crossings and jungle trails to evade authorities.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 14, 2026
A further £41m will go towards national policing coordination, including antisemitism training for all officers in England and Wales, and £59m to counter-terrorism police.
From BBC ● Jul. 13, 2026
He was the first person to use any sort of scientific methods in policing.
From "The Mona Lisa Vanishes" by Nicholas Day
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.
