masses
Britishplural noun
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the body of common people
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informal (often foll by of) great numbers or quantities
masses of food
Explanation
The masses refers to a large, general group of regular folks — the common people of a society. If you’re super rich, you ride around in a private jet while the masses take crowded buses. The masses don’t include celebrities, rich people, royalty, or political leaders. The masses are everybody else. People use this term when they need to speak generally about the majority, although it often refers to the lower class. To win an election, a politician must appeal to the masses. Popular movies and music also must appeal to the masses — in other words, they need mass appeal. The word masses is also just plural for any kind of mass.
Vocabulary lists containing masses
Home of the Brave
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"Efrén Divided" by Ernesto Cisneros, Chapters 6–11
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Laura Dean Keeps Breaking Up with Me
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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.
After 20 minutes, they found a spot — and joined the masses.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 21, 2026
Judging from the amount of lithium detected in TOI-5882, the researchers estimate that the swallowed planet may have been somewhere between a couple of Earth masses and the mass of Neptune.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 16, 2026
Whether it be sport, music, or religion, the Azteca is built for moments when masses of people come together to feel alive.
From BBC ● Jul. 5, 2026
The more the traditional studios get taken over and reimagined by the tech world, the fewer stories we’ll see greenlit and created for the masses.
From Slate ● Jul. 2, 2026
Baba and I look across the masses sleeping in the open air.
From "Without Refuge" by Jane Mitchell
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
