procedural

1 of 2

adjective

pro·​ce·​dur·​al prə-ˈsē-jə-rəl How to pronounce procedural (audio)
-ˈsēj-rəl
: of or relating to procedure
especially : of or relating to the procedure used by courts or other bodies administering substantive law
procedurally adverb

procedural

2 of 2

noun

: a realist crime novel, film, or television drama with a specific focus
a courtroom procedural
especially : police procedural

Examples of procedural in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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Adjective
Now, all of these legal minds are in a battle for what amounts to legal and procedural precedent. — Aj Willingham, AJC.com, 7 Aug. 2026 Both the Senate and the House must still approve the bill before the delay goes into effect, and the Senate has scheduled an initial procedural vote for Monday night. — Mary Whitfill Roeloffs, Forbes.com, 6 Aug. 2026
Noun
Hailing from Fox Entertainment Studios, Sherlock’s Secretary gives USA/Versant a fresh procedural built around one of the world’s most recognizable literary brands. — Matt Grobar, Deadline, 7 Aug. 2026 Yet the procedural is so formulaic and the twists so unbelievable that even the most lackadaisical viewer will likely solve the mysteries long before the truth is revealed. — Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 7 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for procedural

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1876, in the meaning defined above

Noun

1963, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of procedural was in 1876

Phrases Containing procedural

Browse Nearby Words

Procaviidae
procedural
procedural due process
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Procedural.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/procedural. Accessed 15 Aug. 2026.

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Medical Definition

procedural

adjective
pro·​ce·​dur·​al prə-ˈsēj-(ə-)rəl How to pronounce procedural (audio)
: relating to or comprising memory or knowledge concerned with how to manipulate symbols, concepts, and rules to accomplish a task or solve a problem compare declarative

Legal Definition

procedural

adjective
pro·​ce·​dur·​al prə-ˈsē-jə-rəl How to pronounce procedural (audio)
: of or relating to procedure
sentence reversed as result of procedural error in sentencing—National Law Journal
compare substantive
procedurally adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on procedural

Nglish: Translation of procedural for Spanish Speakers

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