as in masses
people looked down upon as ignorant and of the lowest class
the Bolsheviks believed that Russia's discontented proletariat made that nation ripe for revolution
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Recent Examples of proletariat
In this way, Du Bois argued in his seminal 1935 work, Black Reconstruction, white elites in the United States had created a double proletariat divided by a racial line.
—
Zachariah Mampilly, Foreign Affairs, 6 Sep. 2022
Their butler, Adams, is a proletariat.
—Wayne Catan, USA TODAY, 10 Jan. 2022
Because the exploited—the proletariat—have nothing to fall back on, nowhere further to sink, their liberation would be the liberation of history from class struggle.
—James Robins, The New Republic, 19 Jan. 2023
Now a college degree is the most reliable indicator of Democratic preference; the proletariat is dependably Republican.
—Gerard Baker, WSJ, 9 Jan. 2023
See All Example Sentences for proletariat
Zachariah Mampilly, Foreign Affairs, 6 Sep. 2022
Their butler, Adams, is a proletariat.
—Wayne Catan, USA TODAY, 10 Jan. 2022
Because the exploited—the proletariat—have nothing to fall back on, nowhere further to sink, their liberation would be the liberation of history from class struggle.
—James Robins, The New Republic, 19 Jan. 2023
Now a college degree is the most reliable indicator of Democratic preference; the proletariat is dependably Republican.
—Gerard Baker, WSJ, 9 Jan. 2023
See All Example Sentences for proletariat
Recent Examples of Synonyms for proletariat
Noun
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The 2020 Pew study found that Reform Jews are 37% of the American Jewish populace, followed by Jews that claim no particular branch — 32% —and then Conservatives at 17% .—
Michael Weissenstein,
Los Angeles Times,
2 July 2025
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Even before the expiration of the war's longest ceasefire in March, Trump has repeatedly issued dramatic ultimatums to pressure Hamas to agree to longer pauses in the fighting that would see the release of more hostages and a return of more aid to Gaza's civilian populace.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
2 July 2025
Noun
-
There was little-to-no doubt Jurgen Klopp’s side were going to defeat Ralf Rangnick’s under-interim-management rabble that day.—
Carl Anka,
The Athletic,
4 Jan. 2025
-
Advertisement From start to finish, pure madness, amid a rabble that never calmed, never quieted, never quit.—
Bill Plaschke,
Los Angeles Times,
6 Oct. 2024
Noun
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Carlyle took United Defense public in 2001 and fully exited in 2004, making more than $1 billion in profit.—
Luisa Beltran,
Fortune,
3 July 2025
-
Media, public await immigrant advocates' news conference More than 50 people gathered, including several media outlets and members of the public, outside First Lutheran Church at 113 Eighth Ave.—
Evan Mealins,
The Tennessean,
2 July 2025
Noun
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The men’s team has already qualified for the World Cup in 2026, meaning a third appearance at a men’s World Cup for a nation of just over five million people.—
Adam Crafton,
New York Times,
27 June 2025
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Most of the strikes occur in the summer, killing 20 people each year, according to the NWS.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
26 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Proletariat.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/proletariat. Accessed 10 Jul. 2025.
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