1
2
obsolete
: an officer who enforces the judgments of a court or the commands of one in authority
3
: a noncommissioned officer ranking in the army and marine corps above a corporal and below a staff sergeant
broadly
: noncommissioned officer
4
: an officer in a police force ranking in the U.S. just below captain or sometimes lieutenant and in England just below inspector
Examples of sergeant in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Ramirez ultimately had to resign as a K-9 sergeant position with the California Department of Corrections, according to Caraves.
—
Julia Marnin, Sacbee.com, 13 June 2025
According to court documents, an off-duty Kansas City police sergeant was working security.
—Robert A. Cronkleton, Kansas City Star, 10 June 2025
The police sergeant tested positive for marijuana metabolites, which forced him into a years-long fight to keep his job and promising career.
—Virginia Bridges, Charlotte Observer, 9 June 2025
Lakewood police said there was a gathering of more than 100 people when some kind of dispute broke out between two groups on May 28, which led to the gunfire erupting, police sergeant Charles Porche told the AP.
—Lesley Cosme Torres, People.com, 30 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for sergeant
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Julia Marnin, Sacbee.com, 13 June 2025
According to court documents, an off-duty Kansas City police sergeant was working security.
—Robert A. Cronkleton, Kansas City Star, 10 June 2025
The police sergeant tested positive for marijuana metabolites, which forced him into a years-long fight to keep his job and promising career.
—Virginia Bridges, Charlotte Observer, 9 June 2025
Lakewood police said there was a gathering of more than 100 people when some kind of dispute broke out between two groups on May 28, which led to the gunfire erupting, police sergeant Charles Porche told the AP.
—Lesley Cosme Torres, People.com, 30 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for sergeant
Cite this Entry
“Sergeant.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sergeant. Accessed 17 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
sergeant
noun
ser·geant
ˈsär-jənt 
1
: a military noncommissioned officer with any of the ranks above corporal in the army or the marines or above airman first class in the air force
especially
: an enlisted person with the rank just below that of staff sergeant
2
: a police officer ranking in the U.S. just below captain or sometimes lieutenant
Etymology
Middle English sergeant "sergeant, attendant, servant," from early French sergent, serjant (same meaning), from Latin servient-, serviens, a form of the verb servire "to serve"
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