Uncle Sam

American  

noun

1. a personification of the government or people of the U.S.: represented as a tall, lean man with white chin whiskers, wearing a blue tailcoat, red-and-white-striped trousers, and a top hat with a band of stars.

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Uncle Sam British  

noun

1. a personification of the government of the United States

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Uncle Sam Cultural  

1. A figure who stands for the government of the United States and for the United States itself. Uncle Sam — whose initials are the abbreviation of United States — is portrayed as an old man with a gray goatee who sports a top hat and Stars and Stripes clothing. During World War I and World War II, posters of Uncle Sam exhorted young men to join the armed forces. (Compare John Bull.)

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Etymology

Origin of Uncle Sam

An Americanism dating back to 1805–15; extension of the initials U.S.

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

Uncle Sam

Despite his efforts to avoid incurring the wrath of Uncle Sam, Marset eventually came into the crosshairs of the DEA.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 23, 2026

Think of it as a tax “prenup” with Uncle Sam that you settle up on your terms so the surviving spouse isn’t ambushed by higher rates down the road.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 22, 2026

Although the timing and size of the deal haven’t yet been determined, a powerful ally has an incentive for the company to succeed: Uncle Sam.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 31, 2026

But TIPS, through their inflation protection, mitigate some of the risk of lending to Uncle Sam if he turns reckless.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 25, 2026

"Goodness, that ginger is spicy—it's the Szechuan cooking style, you know. How am I related? Let me see, Uncle Sam was my father's oldest brother, or was he the youngest brother of my father's father?"

From "The Westing Game" by Ellen Raskin

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