Synonyms of citizen

citizen

noun

ˈsi-tə-zən 

1

as in national

a person who owes allegiance to a government and is protected by it

conscientious citizens who regard voting as a duty as well as a right

Synonyms & Similar Words

• national
• resident
• freeman
• subject
• inhabitant
• native
• countryman
• compatriot
• nonimmigrant

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• alien
• foreigner
• stranger
• noncitizen
• immigrant
• nonnative

2

as in villager

a person who lives in a town on a permanent basis

claimed that the good citizens of the town were sick of high property taxes

Synonyms & Similar Words

• villager
• resident
• inhabitant
• native
• townsman
• burgher
• occupant
• resider
• townspeople
• town
• national
• habitant
• townie
• dweller
• denizen
• townswoman
• townsfolk
• suburbanite
• subject
• cliff dweller
• urbanite

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• visitor
• tourist
• foreigner
• guest
• alien
• noncitizen
• transient
• nonnative
• gownsman

Synonym Chooser

How is the word citizen distinct from other similar nouns?

The words national and subject are common synonyms of citizen. While all three words mean "a person owing allegiance to and entitled to the protection of a sovereign state," citizen is preferred for one owing allegiance to a state in which sovereign power is retained by the people and sharing in the political rights of those people.

the rights of a free citizen

Where would national be a reasonable alternative to citizen?

Although the words national and citizen have much in common, national designates one who may claim the protection of a state and applies especially to one living or traveling outside that state.

American nationals working in the Middle East

When could subject be used to replace citizen?

The meanings of subject and citizen largely overlap; however, subject implies allegiance to a personal sovereign such as a monarch.

the king's subjects

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of citizen

For Richard Christiansen, founder of the lifestyle brand Flamingo Estate, Pleasure Principles first began as a book about victory gardens, the gardens planted by citizens during wartime. — Anna Grace Lee, Vogue, 2 Oct. 2026

Leaders and countless citizens in both political parties worry these surveillance systems are handing too much power to authorities to invade our privacy, trace our whereabouts, and stomp on our civil liberties. — Greg Rosalsky, NPR, 2 Oct. 2026

Republicans were able to win a court case forbidding the votes of overseas citizens who have never lived in North Carolina from being counted there, but have not yet succeeded in lawsuits in other states, including swing state Michigan. — Nicholas Riccardi, Los Angeles Times, 2 Oct. 2026

Brazil’s economy is roughly the size of Canada’s and larger than Spain’s, and the government has a formidable capacity to tax its citizens and bring in revenue. — Matias Spektor, Foreign Affairs, 2 Oct. 2026

Phrases Containing citizen

• senior citizen