standard operating procedure

noun

: established or prescribed methods to be followed routinely for the performance of designated operations or in designated situations

called also standing operating procedure

Examples of standard operating procedure in a Sentence

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.
Your new hire should be clear on standard operating procedures (SOPs) in every situation at all times. Mustansir Paliwala, Forbes.com, 14 Apr. 2025 Instead, Hassen and Shang posed in front of a 3-dimensional map of the Central Valley in a public space inside the plant and posted their photos to DOGE’s X account, congratulating Reclamation for getting its pumps back up and running — part of the facility’s standard operating procedure. Ella Nilsen, CNN, 7 Mar. 2025 Think of it like a company’s need for core values or standard operating procedures to maintain order and consistency. Adrian Bridgwater, Forbes, 3 Mar. 2025 Risk-Reducing Strategies Here are some of the first lines of defense against human error: Formalize policies, rules, guidelines, standard operating procedures, etc. Louis Gritzo, Forbes.com, 27 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for standard operating procedure

Word History

First Known Use

1939, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of standard operating procedure was in 1939

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Cite this Entry

“Standard operating procedure.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/standard%20operating%20procedure. Accessed 29 Apr. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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