the people

1 of 2

noun (1)

Synonyms of the peoplenext
: the ordinary people in a country who do not have special power or privileges
She is well-liked as a senator because she listens to the people.
the common people

the People

2 of 2

noun (2)

US, law
—used to refer to the government of the U.S. or of a particular state in the name of a legal case
The People vs. John Doe

Examples of the people 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.
Noun
Most of the people who sell their plasma tend to be under 35, unemployed, without a college degree, Black and male, according to a 2021 study based on two proprietary national surveys conducted between 2018 and 2021. — Cnn Staff, CNN Money, 23 Aug. 2026 Friedman cites research on lottery winners—including one man who won $68 million and returned to his job of cleaning hotel rooms—to argue that people don't stay in jobs for status or salary but for the people beside them. — Rodger Dean Duncan, Forbes.com, 22 Aug. 2026 Maybe there ought to be a special Most Valuable Player award for the people in our lives who are there when they're needed most. — Scott Simon, NPR, 22 Aug. 2026 Set in 2009, the film follows two TV reporters forced into a dirty election campaign for a pro-Russian candidate who struggle to stay honest with their work and the people. — Christopher Vourlias, Variety, 21 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for the people

Rhymes for the people

See All Rhymes for the people

Browse Nearby Words

the Pentagon
the people
the People
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“The people.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/the%20people. Accessed 27 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of southpaw

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Commonly Misspelled Words
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Even More Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Why do we say 'break a leg'?

16 Glee-ridden Words from Schitt's Creek
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
alt-684346df967d5
Add A Letter Quiz Pick the letter that goes in the same spot in fou...
See All