Synonyms

the masses

Idioms

The body of common people, or people of low socioeconomic status, as in TV sitcoms are designed to appeal to the masses. This idiom is nearly always used in a snobbish context that puts down the taste, intelligence, or some other quality of the majority of people. W.S. Gilbert satirized this view in the peers' march in Iolanthe (1882), in which the lower-middle class and the masses are ordered to bow down before the peers. Prime Minister William Gladstone took a different view (Speech, 1886): “All the world over, I will back the masses against the [upper] classes.” [First half of 1800s]

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

“The question is will they be able to build political alliances, can they organize and mobilize the masses,” said Azizi, the historian.

From The Wall Street Journal

He wanted to know if he should join the masses of pioneers settling the “wilds of the West” in Michigan.

From Literature

It tries to control who gets the latest tech before unleashing it on the masses.

From Los Angeles Times

Companies that previously sold to the masses now need to deploy two distinct playbooks: one for cash-strapped shoppers and another for higher-income consumers buoyed by rising stock markets.

From The Wall Street Journal

Some in the investing world said the funds aren’t well-suited for the masses, in part because they tend to come with higher fees and are harder to sell.

From The Wall Street Journal

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023