general public

American  

[jen-er-uhl puhb-lik] / ˈdʒɛn ər əl ˈpʌb lɪk /

Also the general public

noun

1. all or most people, especially those not part of a specified group; ordinary people as opposed to officials, experts, politicians, etc..

   The books have been warmly received by critics and by the general public.

   This protocol can be adopted by any organization wishing to improve workplace health and safety for employees, customers, and the general public.

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Etymology

Origin of general public

First recorded in 1845–50

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

general public

“This worry shouldn’t transfer to the general public right now, mainly because there is nothing for you to do and your risk is so low.”

From Slate ● Oct. 8, 2026

Instinct’s AI assistant isn’t yet available to the general public.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 28, 2026

“Regulating AI is not a progressive issue. It is not a conservative issue. It is as American as apple pie,” Sanders said, following a week in which AI concerns broke through with the general public.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 15, 2026

"It's been really interesting to see how the general public have taken to beavers and getting people thinking about seeing them back in our countryside."

From BBC ● Sep. 9, 2026

Its conclusions soon leaked out to the general public.

From "Spies: The Secret Showdown Between America and Russia" by Marc Favreau

Related Words

• association
• center
• company
• district
• nation
• neighborhood
• people
• public
• society
• state