self-policing

American  

[self-puh-lees-ing] / ˌsɛlf pəˈlis ɪŋ /

adjective

1. (of a group of people) independently monitoring the behavior of its own members and addressing any failure to abide by established rules or laws.

2. (of a system, program, etc.) having a built-in mechanism for detecting and stopping inadmissible actions.

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noun

1. the act, on the part of a group of people, of independently monitoring the behavior of its own members and addressing any failure to abide by established rules or laws.

2. the function of a mechanism built into a system, program, etc., that detects and stops inadmissible actions.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

self-policing

The only sport I am aware of where it doesn't happen, and I'd happily stand corrected here, is golf, because of its self-policing nature.

From BBC ● Jul. 29, 2026

Finra, the industry’s self-policing group, adjudicates disputes among advisers, brokers, investors and institutions.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 30, 2026

A spokesperson for the commission issued a statement to The Times that called for more self-policing.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 28, 2026

The commissioner would be able to investigate integrity threats, free from the conflicts inherent in self-policing.

From MarketWatch ● Mar. 18, 2026

But a system of self-policing has created a culture of under-reporting to law enforcement and a false sense of security for new festival goers.

From Salon ● Sep. 2, 2025