the public
noun
: the people of a country, state, etc.
the American public
The beach is open to the public.
The general public is in favor of the law.
Members of the public called for the mayor's resignation.
Examples of the public in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Her family called for peace and thanked the public for their support in a statement shared by their attorneys.
—
N'dea Yancey-Bragg, USA Today, 15 Jan. 2026
Bowie may be associated in the public mind with songs about space and extraterrestrials, but these are songs about living on earth and striving for the heavens.
—Literary Hub, 15 Jan. 2026
The Long Beach Police Department asked the public for help locating a person of interest in a 2025 murder case.
—Matthew Rodriguez, CBS News, 15 Jan. 2026
Those are ordinary matters before the commission, concerning how the public can access coastal property and what gets built there.
—Calmatters, Oc Register, 14 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for the public
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N'dea Yancey-Bragg, USA Today, 15 Jan. 2026
Bowie may be associated in the public mind with songs about space and extraterrestrials, but these are songs about living on earth and striving for the heavens.
—Literary Hub, 15 Jan. 2026
The Long Beach Police Department asked the public for help locating a person of interest in a 2025 murder case.
—Matthew Rodriguez, CBS News, 15 Jan. 2026
Those are ordinary matters before the commission, concerning how the public can access coastal property and what gets built there.
—Calmatters, Oc Register, 14 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for the public
Cite this Entry
“The public.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/the%20public. Accessed 17 Jan. 2026.
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