: 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
Mike Hixenbaugh, NBC News, 18 Apr. 2024
The film centers on the James Webb Space Telescope’s visual legacy and the people behind it.
—Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 18 Apr. 2024
For Rachel Goldberg-Polin, the call is personal: her 23-year-old son, Hersh Goldberg-Polin, is counted among the people still being held captive.
—Yasmeen Serhan, TIME, 17 Apr. 2024
The father of a woman killed following a carjacking caught on camera in Florida is remembering her while investigators still search for the people responsible.
—Pilar Arias, Fox News, 17 Apr. 2024
Richemont’s Chloé, Ralph Lauren and Mulberry Group PLC all experienced similar rises in returns and cancellations in the quarter compared to the same periods in the past few years, according to the people.
—Bloomberg, Fortune Asia, 17 Apr. 2024
At the center of the procedural fight is the U.S.-Mexico border and the people who have crossed it in record numbers.
—Deirdre Walsh, NPR, 17 Apr. 2024
Shupe is part of a larger movement to make copyright law friendlier to AI and the people who use it.
—Kate Knibbs, WIRED, 17 Apr. 2024
Grand jury subpoenas were recently issued to the people who acted as fake electors in Arizona, including Kelli Ward, a former state Republican chairwoman.
—Danny Hakim, New York Times, 17 Apr. 2024
Noun
But through the darkness, she’s also seen good from the people of Metropolis.
—Mike Hixenbaugh, NBC News, 18 Apr. 2024
The film centers on the James Webb Space Telescope’s visual legacy and the people behind it.
—Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 18 Apr. 2024
For Rachel Goldberg-Polin, the call is personal: her 23-year-old son, Hersh Goldberg-Polin, is counted among the people still being held captive.
—Yasmeen Serhan, TIME, 17 Apr. 2024
The father of a woman killed following a carjacking caught on camera in Florida is remembering her while investigators still search for the people responsible.
—Pilar Arias, Fox News, 17 Apr. 2024
Richemont’s Chloé, Ralph Lauren and Mulberry Group PLC all experienced similar rises in returns and cancellations in the quarter compared to the same periods in the past few years, according to the people.
—Bloomberg, Fortune Asia, 17 Apr. 2024
At the center of the procedural fight is the U.S.-Mexico border and the people who have crossed it in record numbers.
—Deirdre Walsh, NPR, 17 Apr. 2024
Shupe is part of a larger movement to make copyright law friendlier to AI and the people who use it.
—Kate Knibbs, WIRED, 17 Apr. 2024
Grand jury subpoenas were recently issued to the people who acted as fake electors in Arizona, including Kelli Ward, a former state Republican chairwoman.
—Danny Hakim, New York Times, 17 Apr. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'the people.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near the people
Cite this Entry
“The people.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/the%20people. Accessed 23 Apr. 2024.
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