: 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
Chris Wiley, New Yorker, 28 Apr. 2026
During the Iraq War, the popular narrative was that our heroic soldiers and marines were going in to liberate the people, free women, and topple a brutal dictator—the same nonsense we are fed now about Iran.
—Literary Hub, 28 Apr. 2026
Brian Truitt, USA Today, 28 Aug. 2025
Bain Capital is holding off on a decision until more offers roll in, the people said, adding that once a buyer is selected, due diligence is expected to take less than two months before the deal is signed.
—Anniek Bao, CNBC, 27 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for the people
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Noun
The result was a collection of photographs that both capture the culture and the people of Mexico and record Hurst’s particular proclivities, the food that fed his hungry eye.
—Chris Wiley, New Yorker, 28 Apr. 2026
During the Iraq War, the popular narrative was that our heroic soldiers and marines were going in to liberate the people, free women, and topple a brutal dictator—the same nonsense we are fed now about Iran.
—Literary Hub, 28 Apr. 2026
Noun
After meeting a whistleblower (Taylour Paige) aiming to reveal the company’s poisonous shenanigans, Winston runs afoul of punk-band baddies who toss him and his radioactive mop into a toxic-waste pool, and the reluctant superdude becomes a popular folk hero standing up for the people who need him.
—Brian Truitt, USA Today, 28 Aug. 2025
Bain Capital is holding off on a decision until more offers roll in, the people said, adding that once a buyer is selected, due diligence is expected to take less than two months before the deal is signed.
—Anniek Bao, CNBC, 27 Aug. 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 29 Apr. 2026.
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