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
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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 More important, the city’s Economic Development Corporation made sure that the project would have the enthusiastic support of community activists who spent years fighting for ways to ensure that a big project would benefit the little guy. Justin Davidson, Curbed, 10 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for the little guy

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Cite this Entry

“The little guy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/the%20little%20guy. Accessed 2 Apr. 2026.

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