the people

1 of 2

noun (1)

: 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

the People

2 of 2

noun (2)

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

Noun

Sometime in the near future, a significant portion of the people building today’s AI industry are expected to become very rich. — Nick Allardice, Fortune, 15 Aug. 2026

His food is refined without losing its roots in fish, fruit, aratu crab, and the people who supply his kitchen. — Mikael Castro, Travel + Leisure, 15 Aug. 2026

Her goal is for another generation to inherit both functioning spaces and a physical connection to the people who shaped them. — Kansas City Star, 15 Aug. 2026

The clinic, the operating room, and the hospital floor—and the people who staff them—make the work possible. — Richard Menger Md Mpa, Forbes.com, 15 Aug. 2026

Rhymes for the people

• steeple
• businesspeople
• craftspeople
• laypeople
• salespeople
• townspeople
• tradespeople
• workpeople