public 1 of 2

adjective

ˈpə-blik How to pronounce public (audio)
Definition of publicnext
1
as in open
not known by only a select few the mayor's plans to retire have been public knowledge for some time

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in unrestricted
freely available for use or participation by all a public swimming pool

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in national
of or relating to a nation a trade agreement in the public interest

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in general
held by or applicable to a majority of the people public sentiment was against the war

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in collective
used or done by a number of people as a group public transportation

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

public

2 of 2

noun

1
as in world
human beings in general a lecture open to the public

Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in populace
the body of the community as contrasted with the elite the highbrows have always disdained his novels, but the public just eats them up

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 public
Adjective
Jurado said the company did not provide concrete public commitments, funding amounts or implementation timelines for the relief and recovery measures requested. — City News Service, Daily News, 6 July 2026 Joel Halldorf is Professor of Church History and a public intellectual in Scandinavia, with regular contributions to leading newspapers and cultural journals in Sweden and Norway. — Literary Hub, 6 July 2026
Noun
But that Massachusetts ruling was really when when the American public first started hearing about this right to repair term, 2013. — Joel Feder, The Drive, 1 July 2026 His charm offensive, including moving to Rio and recalling Neymar, has also begun to win over a skeptical public, setting the stage for a crucial World Cup challenge. — Chris Evans, Forbes.com, 5 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for public
Recent Examples of Synonyms for public
  1. open
  2. unrestricted
  3. national
  4. general
  5. collective
  6. world
  7. populace
  8. broadcast
Adjective
  • The rebound was briefly loose in the box, but nobody from Portugal could get to the ball while the net was open.
    — Ashley Mowreader, NBC news, 3 July 2026
  • Never leave children, elderly adults or pets in a parked car or truck, even for a few minutes, even if the windows are open, public safety agencies warn.
    — Dinah Voyles Pulver, USA Today, 3 July 2026
Definition of open
Adjective
  • The four players are all currently under contract through at least the 2028-29 season, which is when Brown and Embiid could become unrestricted free agents.
    — Tom Ignudo, CBS News, 2 July 2026
  • Oubre, a 6-foot-8, 30-year-old New Orleans native was an unrestricted free agent after playing the past three seasons of an 11-year career with Philadelphia.
    — Gary Bedore, Kansas City Star, 2 July 2026
Definition of unrestricted
Adjective
  • The United States men’s national soccer team is heading to the Round of 16, defeating Bosnia and Herzegovina, 2-0, on Wednesday night in Santa Clara, California.
    — Scott Thompson, FOXNews.com, 2 July 2026
  • Pyrotecnico, a national fireworks and drones display business, is in charge of the spectacle.
    — Staff report, USA Today, 2 July 2026
Definition of national
Adjective
  • Little’s lack of response to a possible return that offseason resulted in general manager Ned Colletti pursuing other options.
    — Liana Handler, Los Angeles Times, 1 July 2026
  • While unions secured general salary increases last year to offset the salary reductions associated with the leave program, the agreements did not include similar increases in July 2026.
    — William Melhado, Sacbee.com, 1 July 2026
Definition of general
Adjective
  • And that his journey was part of collective action as the entire American Revolution was.
    — Dana Taylor, USA Today, 3 July 2026
  • Ahead of this year's remaining Semiquincentennial events, revisit some of the most memorable ways that the country rallied together in 1976 to celebrate their collective achievement.
    — Kyler Alvord, PEOPLE, 3 July 2026
Definition of collective
Noun
  • The Castro family has been linked, through GAESA chiefly, to a lucrative world of hotels, banks, retail monopolies, foreign-currency businesses, foreign private compounds and offshore accounts.
    — Romina Ruiz-Goiriena, USA Today, 6 July 2026
  • Hiltz finished seventh in the 1,500 meters at the 2024 Paris Olympics and fifth in the same race at the 2025 world championships in Tokyo.
    — Lindsay Schnell, New York Times, 5 July 2026
Definition of world
Noun
  • His profiteering has drawn criticism from even the traditionally conservative editorial boards at the Wall Street Journal and New York Post, as well as the broader American populace.
    — Joe Wilkins, Futurism, 2 July 2026
  • The ongoing diversification of the American populace ensures that Latin American rhythms, jazz subgenres and electronic innovations will continue to redefine what the nation will sound like moving forward.
    — Ted Olson, The Conversation, 2 July 2026
Definition of populace
Adjective
  • In separate filings, both media outlets raised questions as to the validity of the NFL’s broadcast antitrust exemption, a provision established under the Sports Broadcasting Act of 1961.
    — Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 3 Apr. 2026
  • Cuba’s government displayed on the broadcast nautical maps to show where the Pro-Line was spotted, its route through Cuban waters and the location where the shooting occurred.
    — David Smiley, Miami Herald, 28 Feb. 2026
Definition of broadcast

Phrases Containing public

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pub crawlers
public
publication
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Cite this Entry

“Public.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/public. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on public

Nglish: Translation of public for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about public

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