Uncle Sam

noun

Un·​cle Sam ˌəŋ-kəl-ˈsam How to pronounce Uncle Sam (audio)
1
: the U.S. government
2
: the American nation or people

Examples of Uncle Sam in a Sentence

Uncle Sam wants you to join the Army!
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.
In O'Hare Terminal 1, travelers will hear live folk music and might catch a glimpse of Uncle Sam walking around. Lauren Victory, CBS News, 1 July 2026 And frankly, the majority of those incentives won’t come close to the $7,500 maximum tax credit Uncle Sam was doling out until last fall. Sara Lacey, The Drive, 25 June 2026 And that isn’t our personifications of Uncle Sam or Lady Liberty. Greg Jackson, Time, 23 June 2026 Is the perfect gift a painting (too European), a symphony (way too European), a bespoke work of jingoistic smut about Uncle Sam and the Statue of Liberty? Hillary Busis, Vanity Fair, 22 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for Uncle Sam

Word History

Etymology

expansion of U.S., abbreviation of United States

First Known Use

1803, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of Uncle Sam was in 1803

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Uncle Sam.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Uncle%20Sam. Accessed 4 Jul. 2026.

Kids Definition

Uncle Sam

noun
Un·​cle Sam ˌəŋ-kəl-ˈsam How to pronounce Uncle Sam (audio)
1
: the U.S. government thought of or represented as a person
2
: the American nation or people

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