the little guy
noun
chiefly US, informal
: an ordinary person who is not wealthy, famous, or powerful
—used to refer to such people in general
a politician who portrays himself as a friend of the little guy
Examples of the little guy in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The league has the power to squash the little guy.
—
Troy Renck, Denver Post, 30 Mar. 2026
The Aggies put up a good fight but ultimately succumbed 78-66 at Viejas Arena in the final chance for the little guy.
—Mark Zeigler, San Diego Union-Tribune, 25 Mar. 2026
But a win for the little guy is also a win for the much bigger guy.
—Alex Barasch, New Yorker, 4 Mar. 2026
This is a story where the little guy wins.
—Denise Crosby, Chicago Tribune, 1 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for the little guy
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.
Troy Renck, Denver Post, 30 Mar. 2026
The Aggies put up a good fight but ultimately succumbed 78-66 at Viejas Arena in the final chance for the little guy.
—Mark Zeigler, San Diego Union-Tribune, 25 Mar. 2026
But a win for the little guy is also a win for the much bigger guy.
—Alex Barasch, New Yorker, 4 Mar. 2026
This is a story where the little guy wins.
—Denise Crosby, Chicago Tribune, 1 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for the little guy
Cite this Entry
“The little guy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/the%20little%20guy. Accessed 4 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
