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
The area near Donner Summit is one of the snowiest places in the Western Hemisphere and until just a few years ago was closed to the public.
—
Arkansas Online, 19 Feb. 2026
The Blackbird Mountain Guides group had spent three days traversing Castle Peak’s wild terrain and staying in huts near Donner Summit – an area that before 2020 was closed to the public for nearly a century.
—Elizabeth Wolfe, CNN Money, 19 Feb. 2026
Washington initially saw meager enrollment in its Cascade Select public-option plans -- just 1% of the state marketplace enrollees chose the public-option plan in 2021.
—Jazmin Orozco Rodriguez, NPR, 18 Feb. 2026
Edds accused the county counsel, Leon Page, of being responsible for the public release of the report into Logalbo’s conduct.
—Sean Emery, Oc Register, 18 Feb. 2026
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Arkansas Online, 19 Feb. 2026
The Blackbird Mountain Guides group had spent three days traversing Castle Peak’s wild terrain and staying in huts near Donner Summit – an area that before 2020 was closed to the public for nearly a century.
—Elizabeth Wolfe, CNN Money, 19 Feb. 2026
Washington initially saw meager enrollment in its Cascade Select public-option plans -- just 1% of the state marketplace enrollees chose the public-option plan in 2021.
—Jazmin Orozco Rodriguez, NPR, 18 Feb. 2026
Edds accused the county counsel, Leon Page, of being responsible for the public release of the report into Logalbo’s conduct.
—Sean Emery, Oc Register, 18 Feb. 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 22 Feb. 2026.
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