Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com
Showing results for police action. Search instead for pro-choice+faction.
Synonyms

police action

American  

noun

  1. a relatively localized military action undertaken by regular armed forces, without a formal declaration of war, against guerrillas, insurgents, or other forces held to be violating international peace and order.

Etymology

Origin of police action

First recorded in 1880–85

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.

However, Labour MP Liam Byrne, who chairs the committee said it would "begin gathering information immediately" so it would be ready to launch an inquiry if it decided to once police action had concluded.

From BBC • Feb. 24, 2026

Ms Constance said the government was tackling youth violence through measures including "effective consequences for offences, police action including stop and search, education, diversion and mentoring programmes, and sustained school and community engagement."

From BBC • Dec. 8, 2025

Now a former government adviser on terrorism law, an ex-police and crime commissioner and a leading politician are all urging police action.

From BBC • Jan. 22, 2025

It would require the largest police action in American history, wipe out millions of jobs, cost hundreds of billions of dollars, and destabilize the economy.

From Slate • Oct. 24, 2024

That evening, while he was cooking dinner, a quiet voice on the radio announced that Nigeria would embark on a police action to bring back the rebels of Biafra.

From "Half of a Yellow Sun" by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

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.