public 1 of 2

adjective

ˈpə-blik How to pronounce public (audio)
Definition of publicnext
1
as in open
not known by only a select few the mayor's plans to retire have been public knowledge for some time

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in unrestricted
freely available for use or participation by all a public swimming pool

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in national
of or relating to a nation a trade agreement in the public interest

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in general
held by or applicable to a majority of the people public sentiment was against the war

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in collective
used or done by a number of people as a group public transportation

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

public

2 of 2

noun

1
as in world
human beings in general a lecture open to the public

Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in populace
the body of the community as contrasted with the elite the highbrows have always disdained his novels, but the public just eats them up

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of public
Adjective
There's scarce public data, but some estimates indicate that up to 20% of the company's total warehouse space has been destroyed, with assessments of losses running as high as $6 billion. — ABC News, 17 Aug. 2026 He was permanently dismissed from his post as archdeacon and barred from holding public office. — Adam Gopnik, New Yorker, 17 Aug. 2026
Noun
State health officials have not notified the public of any locations that pose an exposure risk to the broader public. — Sarah Volpenhein, jsonline.com, 14 Aug. 2026 The agency’s decision to make the videos public comes almost exactly a month after the encounter, which marked the third shooting involving Oakland police this year and at least the seventh since 2023. — Jakob Rodgers, Mercury News, 13 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for public
Recent Examples of Synonyms for public
  1. open
  2. unrestricted
  3. national
  4. general
  5. collective
  6. world
  7. populace
  8. broadcast
Adjective
  • Beijing is a source of crucial economic support for Iran but has walked a cautious diplomatic line amid the US-Iran war, keeping communications open with players on both sides.
    — Billy Stockwell, CNN Money, 21 Aug. 2026
  • Israel's Ministry of Construction and Housing issued a tender for constructing several compounds with more than 1,200 homes in total in an open tract of land east of Jerusalem.
    — Khaled Wassef, CBS News, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of open
Adjective
  • Most people on electronic monitoring regardless of the charge are permitted periods of unrestricted movement during which their location is not actively monitored.
    — Eileen Burke, Chicago Tribune, 19 Aug. 2026
  • Joining the Emerging Filmmaker Awards, which include Someone to Watch, Truer Than Fiction, and Producers Award, the winning digital creator will receive a $25,000 unrestricted grant.
    — Marcus Jones, IndieWire, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of unrestricted
Adjective
  • The case attracted national attention in part because of a flood of social media posts that amplified the killing in racial terms.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 20 Aug. 2026
  • If completed, the sale would shore up Spain's leadership in a strategic sector by creating a new olive oil giant that would encompass a range of brands and secure a roughly 15% share of national consumption.
    — Sam Meredith, CNBC, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of national
Adjective
  • But it was decided this would not happen following a meeting between Mourinho, Real Madrid’s general manager Jose Angel Sanchez, head of scouting Juni Calafat and Mourinho’s agent Jorge Mendes at the Santo Mauro Hotel in central Madrid.
    — Guillermo Rai, New York Times, 19 Aug. 2026
  • The group said the average consumer spend for parts at a dealer was $261, versus $275 at a general repair shop.
    — Robert Ferris, CNBC, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of general
Adjective
  • Perhaps all of this is overly negative, and the downsides of these collective risks have been overemphasised.
    — Nick Miller, New York Times, 15 Aug. 2026
  • Musk presented the arrangement, arguing that SpaceX’s workforce includes some of the world’s strongest engineers and that their collective knowledge could help shape a more capable AI system.
    — Joshua Hong, Fortune, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of collective
Noun
  • The record labels’ personas and allies clashed in what came to be known as the battle between the East and West Coast rap worlds.
    — Sasha Pezenik, ABC News, 17 Aug. 2026
  • Its members include Netanyahu, Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Emirati President Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and several other world leaders.
    — Billy Stockwell, CNN Money, 17 Aug. 2026
Definition of world
Noun
  • This is where the irrationality of antisemitic conspiracy gains no purchase among a reasoning and pragmatic populace; where government is led by people who grasp, and embrace, the seriousness of their responsibilities.
    — Rory Lancman, New York Daily News, 5 Aug. 2026
  • Since the 1700s, Jamaica’s populace has been dominated by the descendants of African slaves.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 5 Aug. 2026
Definition of populace
Adjective
  • In separate filings, both media outlets raised questions as to the validity of the NFL’s broadcast antitrust exemption, a provision established under the Sports Broadcasting Act of 1961.
    — Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 3 Apr. 2026
  • Cuba’s government displayed on the broadcast nautical maps to show where the Pro-Line was spotted, its route through Cuban waters and the location where the shooting occurred.
    — David Smiley, Miami Herald, 28 Feb. 2026
Definition of broadcast

Phrases Containing public

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pub crawlers
public
publication
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Cite this Entry

“Public.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/public. Accessed 22 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on public

Nglish: Translation of public for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about public

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