as in public
the body of the community as contrasted with the elite
"I pay no attention to the opinions of the hoi polloi," the writer sniffed
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Recent Examples of hoi polloi
The Center has also opened overflow space elsewhere on the second floor for Writers Studio members in the morning, before the hoi polloi of the general membership arrive.
—
Brendan O'Connor, Curbed, 17 Nov. 2025
Kapalua Bay Villas has deluxe one and two-bedroom villas perched on sunny, secluded Kapaula Bay, far from the hoi polloi.
—Ben Davidson Correspondent, Oc Register, 21 Aug. 2025
Colbert has sober Catholic suits and an in-studio audience of the local hoi polloi.
—Zak Cheney-Rice, Vulture, 15 July 2025
Dog breeding began in order to segregate what were seen as the best exemplars of the species from the canid hoi polloi.
—Alexandra Horowitz, The New Yorker, 24 June 2024
See All Example Sentences for hoi polloi
Brendan O'Connor, Curbed, 17 Nov. 2025
Kapalua Bay Villas has deluxe one and two-bedroom villas perched on sunny, secluded Kapaula Bay, far from the hoi polloi.
—Ben Davidson Correspondent, Oc Register, 21 Aug. 2025
Colbert has sober Catholic suits and an in-studio audience of the local hoi polloi.
—Zak Cheney-Rice, Vulture, 15 July 2025
Dog breeding began in order to segregate what were seen as the best exemplars of the species from the canid hoi polloi.
—Alexandra Horowitz, The New Yorker, 24 June 2024
See All Example Sentences for hoi polloi
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hoi polloi
people
Plural Noun
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Many people in the Philadelphia region received an emergency alert Sunday night for a dispersal order stemming from a gathering at Bridgeport Speedway in South Jersey.—
Tom Ignudo,
CBS News,
30 Mar. 2026
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Word's out and this local favorite is often packed with people clamoring for their ravioli.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
30 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Hoi polloi.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hoi%20polloi. Accessed 2 Apr. 2026.
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