man in the street

noun phrase

: an average or ordinary person

Examples of man in the street in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web If Trump were just a man in the street, he might have been arrested for trying to overturn the 2020 election. Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 19 June 2024 Indianapolis police officers were dispatched about 9:45 a.m. to the 2300 block of Hillside Avenue and found a man in the street suffering gunshot wounds. Sarah Nelson, The Indianapolis Star, 3 Apr. 2024 Murray said that every man in the street had either read it or heard of it. Anthony Lane, The New Yorker, 26 Feb. 2024 In a video statement Friday, police released his identity, along with a 911 call, footage of the standoff and footage of a man in the street with a gun. Aria Jones, Dallas News, 29 Apr. 2023 Another call was then made regarding reports of an unresponsive man in the street in the area of South Park Avenue and East Ajo Way, according to a news release. Aidan Wohl, The Arizona Republic, 23 June 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'man in the street.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1831, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of man in the street was in 1831

Dictionary Entries Near man in the street

Cite this Entry

“Man in the street.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/man%20in%20the%20street. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

man in the street

: a typical or ordinary person

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