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

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

general public

And then it gets released to the general public, and people are like, ‘We don’t know how to use this.’

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 19, 2026

The statement reiterated that "the risk to the general public remains low", saying there was "no evidence of community transmission".

From Barron's ● Oct. 17, 2026

“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

That would enable something like the notorious “2 and 20” structure, in which private-fund managers take 2% annual fees plus up to 20% of any gains, to apply in funds available to the general public.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 2, 2026

The general public was invited to the evening show, and the auditorium was packed.

From "Stargirl" by Jerry Spinelli

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Related Words

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

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