: the ordinary people in a country who do not have special power or privileges
She is well-liked as a senator because she listens to the people.
the common people
US, law
—used to refer to the government of the U.S. or of a particular state in the name of a legal case
The People vs. John Doe
Examples of the people in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The Editors, JSTOR Daily, 8 July 2025
In the long run, talent wars are not won at the bank, but in the hearts and dreams of the people who choose to stay.
—Jeanne Meister, Forbes.com, 8 July 2025
A day center next door could give the people visiting Shelterhouse another place to go, while also serving people who have housing but are vulnerable in other ways.
—Sydney Franklin, The Enquirer, 8 July 2025
And for all the people who are worried about Mamdani’s socialist tendencies, guess what?
—Emily Zemler, Rolling Stone, 8 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for the people
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Noun
The intent of the colonial government wasn’t to hire someone to work with the people of the Philippines to design an urban plan that would work for them, but to hire someone who knew how to design in a way that would reinforce American control over its new colony.
—The Editors, JSTOR Daily, 8 July 2025
In the long run, talent wars are not won at the bank, but in the hearts and dreams of the people who choose to stay.
—Jeanne Meister, Forbes.com, 8 July 2025
A day center next door could give the people visiting Shelterhouse another place to go, while also serving people who have housing but are vulnerable in other ways.
—Sydney Franklin, The Enquirer, 8 July 2025
And for all the people who are worried about Mamdani’s socialist tendencies, guess what?
—Emily Zemler, Rolling Stone, 8 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for the people
Cite this Entry
“The people.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/the%20people. Accessed 11 Jul. 2025.
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