the rabble
noun
disapproving
: ordinary or common people who do not have a lot of money, power, or social status
—often used in a humorous or exaggerated way to suggest the attitudes of wealthy and powerful people
celebrities who live in beautiful homes far away from the rabble
Examples of the rabble in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
And now the rabble-rousing populist shoe is on the other foot.
—
Ben Smith, semafor.com, 20 Jan. 2026
Nobody in the division has made more than his 63 saves, but that’s as much to do with the rabble in front of him as his own goalkeeping prowess.
—Tim Spiers, New York Times, 2 Jan. 2026
The film takes place in a recognizable not-so-distant future dystopia, where the rabble are placated with bread-and-circus television programming.
—John Semley, Wired News, 11 Nov. 2025
When there are enough versions of a beloved item to meet various individuals’ price points, one way to separate yourself from the rabble is to buy the really, really expensive one.
—Ryleigh Nucilli, Outside Online, 29 Dec. 2024
Hollywood is not yet rubble, so the rabble continues.
—Tim Greiving, Washington Post, 20 July 2023
The Reuters dispatch that prompted Jim’s piece paints a portrait of President Biden peering down from Olympian heights upon the rabble that make up the Democratic leadership class and despairing.
—Noah Rothman, National Review, 24 Mar. 2023
The sentiment is a nice one, but the will of the elite has hardly proved more reliable than that of the rabble.
—Jonathan Schlefer, Foreign Affairs, 15 Mar. 2021
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Ben Smith, semafor.com, 20 Jan. 2026
Nobody in the division has made more than his 63 saves, but that’s as much to do with the rabble in front of him as his own goalkeeping prowess.
—Tim Spiers, New York Times, 2 Jan. 2026
The film takes place in a recognizable not-so-distant future dystopia, where the rabble are placated with bread-and-circus television programming.
—John Semley, Wired News, 11 Nov. 2025
When there are enough versions of a beloved item to meet various individuals’ price points, one way to separate yourself from the rabble is to buy the really, really expensive one.
—Ryleigh Nucilli, Outside Online, 29 Dec. 2024
Hollywood is not yet rubble, so the rabble continues.
—Tim Greiving, Washington Post, 20 July 2023
The Reuters dispatch that prompted Jim’s piece paints a portrait of President Biden peering down from Olympian heights upon the rabble that make up the Democratic leadership class and despairing.
—Noah Rothman, National Review, 24 Mar. 2023
The sentiment is a nice one, but the will of the elite has hardly proved more reliable than that of the rabble.
—Jonathan Schlefer, Foreign Affairs, 15 Mar. 2021
Cite this Entry
“The rabble.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/the%20rabble. Accessed 28 Jan. 2026.
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