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.
The head of the Metropolitan Police is to warn that policing in England and Wales is "heading for failure" without urgent reform.
From BBC ● Nov. 6, 2026
The groups date back half a century, to the days of the Little Devils, whose mostly white members had matching tattoos and engaged in aggressive policing of mostly Latino communities in East Los Angeles.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 6, 2026
Here’s where they stand on housing, policing and homelessness.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 3, 2026
Senior officers say they are investing in technology to combat e-bikes, but said this was not just a policing problem, and would need a broader effort to tackle the issue.
From BBC ● Nov. 2, 2026
It may be more comforting to believe what the newspapers say, that the drop in crime was due to brilliant policing and clever gun control and a surging economy.
From "Freakonomics: A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything" by Steven D. Levitt
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
