Synonyms

popular culture

American

[pop-yuh-ler kuhl-cher] / ˈpɒp yə lər ˈkʌl tʃər /

noun

cultural and commercial artifacts, media, and entertainment reflecting, suited to, or aimed at the tastes of the general masses of people.

Most artists are influenced by a variety of external sources, including popular culture.
The actor's role in the series made her an important figure in popular culture.

Etymology

Origin of popular culture

First recorded in 1850–55

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.

It was always going to be difficult trying to replicate the success of the original 2006 film, which is still regularly quoted in popular culture and has recently become a West End musical.

From BBC • May 1, 2026

This time along with Rossen Ventzislavov, an educator who brought me out to Woodbury University last spring as a fellow to teach a one-of-a-kind semester on Black modernism in architecture, design and popular culture.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 13, 2026

Secular and Christian popular culture swim in opposing halves of divided entertainment waters, despite broadcast TV’s lengthy history of featuring Christian-leaning shows.

From Salon • Mar. 29, 2026

Each newly discovered species must be given a scientific name, and researchers often draw inspiration from people, experiences, or even popular culture.

From Science Daily • Mar. 25, 2026

He was learning how to plug himself into popular culture in order to understand new fashion trends.

From "Outliers" by Malcolm Gladwell

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023