masses 1 of 2

noun

plural of mass
as in people
the body of the community as contrasted with the elite the masses demanded the elimination of tax breaks for the rich

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

masses

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of mass
as in accumulates
to gradually form into a layer, pile, or mass clouds massing on the western side of the mountain range

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for masses
  1. people
  2. accumulates
  3. crowd
  4. gathers
  5. public
  6. populace
  7. mob
Noun
  • Another 13 people were wounded on downtown Sacramento’s K Street and 10th Street, in what became the deadliest mass shooting in the city’s history.
    — Darrell Smith, Sacbee.com, 19 June 2026
  • Organizers say more than 125,000 people are expected throughout the event, bringing in millions of dollars for the local economy.
    — Ryan Hughes, CBS News, 19 June 2026
Definition of people
Verb
  • The descent into crisis-club territory usually happens by degrees, a malaise that accumulates slowly as one poor performance follows another.
    — Conor O'Neill, New York Times, 15 Oct. 2026
  • This creates a point in the circular segment where tension accumulates, which in turn leads to the formation of a pointed edge.
    — Manon Bischoff, Scientific American, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of accumulates
Noun
  • Nugent has been in police custody since shortly after Haines was injured and a crowd of bystanders subdued him.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 20 Oct. 2026
  • Suspect to face court on Wednesday Nugent has been in police custody since shortly after Haines was injured and a crowd of bystanders subdued him.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of crowd
Verb
  • An agent that gathers records or checks for required information may operate with limited intervention.
    — Heather Bassett, Forbes.com, 13 Oct. 2026
  • When a storm, usually fed by unusually warm water, suddenly gathers a lot of strength, sustaining winds that increase in speed by at least 35 mph (56 kph) in 24 hours, it is called rapid intensification.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 9 Oct. 2026
Definition of gathers
Noun
  • Human rights lawyer Rosy Auguste Ducena, who advocates for the rights of victims of violence, says the Haitian public is fed up with the slow pace of change.
    — Nick Paton Walsh, CNN Money, 17 Oct. 2026
  • Caltrans said the deck replacement is necessary to preserve the structural integrity of the bridge and improve safety for maintenance workers, truck drivers and the traveling public.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of public
Noun
  • Despite Jack’s best efforts to bring Christmas cheer to the world, his gifts horrify the populace.
    — Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 8 Oct. 2026
  • The decision was ultimately reversed by a New York Supreme Court judge, on the grounds that Warren violated the populace’s religious liberties.
    — Clare Whitton, The Conversation, 17 Sep. 2026
Definition of populace
Noun
  • Violent mobs carrying Palestinian flags clashed with police, looted hundreds of stores, and flooded social media with over 1,300 hateful anti-Semitic posts.
    — Staff, FOXNews.com, 22 Oct. 2026
  • More than 40 people were killed, mostly Muslims, by Hindu mobs.
    — Diaa Hadid, NPR, 21 Oct. 2026
Definition of mob
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Browse Nearby Words

massed
masses
massing
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Cite this Entry

“Masses.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/masses. Accessed 24 Oct. 2026.

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