peace officer

noun

Synonyms of peace officernext
: a civil officer (such as a police officer) whose duty it is to preserve the public peace

Examples of peace officer in a Sentence

He was arrested for assaulting a peace officer.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
He was booked into San Diego Central Jail on charges of felony evading a peace officer with wanton disregard for safety, obstructing or resisting a peace officer and driving under the influence of drugs, according to police. Stepheny Price, FOXNews.com, 1 Sep. 2026 Upon arrival at the college Thursday afternoon, the suspect identified himself as a peace officer with a California police department, the Sheriff’s Office said in a news release on social media. Tania Azhang, Sacbee.com, 29 Aug. 2026 The man is being charged with dangerous operation of a vehicle, obstructing a peace officer and assaulting a peace officer with a weapon, according to Windsor Police. Natalie Davies, Freep.com, 29 Aug. 2026 Jurors deliberated for about 2 and a half hours before finding Salazar guilty of first-degree murder and finding true the special circumstance allegations of murder of a peace officer, lying in wait, and firing from a vehicle. Julie Sharp, CBS News, 24 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for peace officer

Word History

First Known Use

1649, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of peace officer was in 1649

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Peace officer.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/peace%20officer. Accessed 5 Sep. 2026.

Legal Definition

peace officer

noun
: a civil officer (as a police officer) whose duty it is to preserve the public peace

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