Synonyms

policing

American

[puh-lee-sing] / pəˈli sɪŋ /

noun

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.
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

self-policing

adjective

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.

Richardson said: "There's no policing of it at all, it is purely free will, if you want to queue you can."

From BBC • May 28, 2026

This takes regulatory resources away from policing other markets, whether that’s crypto or oil futures, Fischer noted.

From MarketWatch • May 28, 2026

The case exposes a risk the states face with policing mergers: No law prevents companies from rushing to merge before attorneys general can stop them.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 26, 2026

They have contrasting views on policing: Malik said she opposes expanding the size of the Los Angeles Police Department and instead supports shifting more resources to the city’s unarmed crisis response program.

From Los Angeles Times • May 24, 2026

He tried to neatly type up his reports and touted the virtues of scientific policing.

From "Killers of the Flower Moon" by David Grann

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023