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Synonyms

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.


Etymology

Origin of general public

First recorded in 1845–50

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.

See Examples For:

“They create a scare in the general public around these models,” he added.

From The Wall Street Journal Jul. 29, 2026

"The approved measures will enable researchers, civil society and the general public to gain more transparency into X’s systems and the impact on users," he added.

From Barron's Jul. 15, 2026

The Venezuelan government, meanwhile, has posted numbers for the general public to call, but information has been limited in the wake of such a devastating national disaster.

From BBC Jul. 2, 2026

I’m among the first civilians from the general public on the Naval Academy’s Yard since March.

From Slate Jun. 24, 2026

What mattered was that the general public didn’t have a problem pouring millions of dollars into training and overseeing Glitchers as long as it kept the future intact.

From "Glitch" by Laura Martin

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