PROLETARIAN Synonyms: 66 Similar and Opposite Words

proletarian 1 of 2

adjective

Definition of proletarian

as in low

belonging to the class of people of low social or economic rank a self-made Internet magnate who is not at all ashamed of his proletarian background

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

proletarian

2 of 2

noun

as in plebeian

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Example Sentences

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.

Recent Examples of proletarian

Adjective

But West Virginia is a proletarian locale that until not long ago was a Democratic stronghold. — Mark Leibovich, The Atlantic, 11 Feb. 2026 These ranged from the aristocratic elite who dominated the military and bureaucracy and yearned for a return to monarchy, to communists who sought proletarian rule, to the National Socialists who wanted to establish a right-wing dictatorship. — Time, 23 Oct. 2025 This new proletarian culture was personified in the ideal of the New Soviet Man. — Sonja Fritzsche, The Conversation, 9 Sep. 2025

Noun

Now artists, who had only recently emerged as solo entrepreneurs, reverted to their erstwhile status as proletarians—indeed, as migrant workers. — Diedrich Diederichsen, Artforum, 1 Dec. 2025 Fundamentally, the proletarian forfeits not so much income as individual freedom and the sovereignty of his or her class. — Benjamin Kunkel, Harpers Magazine, 28 Mar. 2025 On the one hand, the proletarian contributes every bit of on-the-clock activity to the value of the resulting commodity. — Benjamin Kunkel, Harpers Magazine, 28 Mar. 2025 The song, now considered a protest anthem, is about a social revolution in which French proletarians stand against the ruling class — in this case, an oppressive monarchy. — Raven Brunner, People.com, 24 Feb. 2025 As a proudly class-conscious proletarian, Martin is naturally supportive of worker strikes. — J. Hoberman, The New York Review of Books, 22 Oct. 2020 Yet modern liberalism fits the modern world of high human capital better than the old rightish model of dim-witted peasants properly led by the aristocracy or the old leftish model of gormless proletarians properly led by The Party. — The Economist, 8 Jan. 2020 Owing to the extensive use of machinery and to division of labour, the work of the proletarians has lost all individual character, and, consequently, all charm for the workman. — Tristram Hunt, WSJ, 25 Jan. 2019

Recent Examples of Synonyms for proletarian

Adjective

The administration had appealed two lower court rulings that blocked the termination.

— Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 22 July 2026
Along with affordable homes, Lupo said, the best cities for first-time buyers also provide lower crime rates, good schools and a lower overall cost of living.

— Sacbee.com, Sacbee.com, 22 July 2026

Definition of low

Noun

In the latter years of the Roman Republic, landowners amassed unprecedented riches while plebeians floundered, spawning resentment that infected many corners of society.

— Anand Gopal, New Yorker, 28 Feb. 2026
How could the bookseller trust two random plebeians off the street?

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 16 Dec. 2025

Definition of plebeian

Adjective

But new research is shedding light on what life was like for middle- and lower-class residents.

— Ashley Strickland, CNN Money, 20 July 2026
The franchise centers around a dystopian nation called Panem, where rich and authoritarian leaders force twelve lower-class districts to submit two children to fight in a deadly, and televised, battle every year.

— Nicholas Rice, PEOPLE, 11 July 2026

Definition of lower-class

Adjective

But the earlier dolls were crude, lumpen things, a cross between a beanbag and a sculpted potato.

— Alexandra Schwartz, New Yorker, 9 Feb. 2026
Yet Empire Falls translates into a lumpen, stodgy miniseries, despite a fine central performance from Harris as a divorced diner owner with deep roots in the town and a structure that allows the past to keep informing and enriching the present.

— Scott Tobias, Vulture, 14 Apr. 2024

Definition of lumpen

Noun

Camilla’s decades-long life as a commoner sets her apart from other royals like Queen Victoria and Queen Elizabeth, who never had to learn how to cook because they were raised with a dedicated staff of personal chefs, Marie Claire notes.

— Christopher Luu, InStyle, 17 July 2026
The original 67-member royal household shrank to 16, a contraction exacerbated by the requirement that female members must leave the imperial family after marrying a commoner.

— Hanako Montgomery, CNN Money, 14 July 2026

Definition of commoner

Adjective

Kahn created her holistic Botnia skincare line that grew from humble roots to now partnering with over 200 spas nationwide, including locally at Shop Good, Cleo Skincare in La Jolla, and Flowers Wellness in Rancho Bernardo.

— Karen Billing, San Diego Union-Tribune, 21 July 2026
Skyroot officials set humble goals for the first launch of Vikram-1.

— Stephen Clark, ArsTechnica, 19 July 2026

Definition of humble

Noun

Instead of following his gut like some unenlightened pleb, Patrick trusts his spleen and his spleen alone.

— Laura Bradley, Vulture, 13 Aug. 2025
But because these monsters have yet to develop any fungal armor, runners are susceptible to gunshots, knives, and any other weaponry that would take out your average pleb.

— Lauren Puckett-Pope, ELLE, 20 Jan. 2023

Definition of pleb

Browse Nearby Words

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“Proletarian.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/proletarian. Accessed 31 Jul. 2026.

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Synonyms of proletarian

adjective

noun

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