popularity

American  

[pop-yuh-lar-i-tee] / ˌpɒp jəˈlær ɪ ti /

noun

popularities plural

1. the quality or fact of being popular.

   Synonyms:

   repute, fame, fashion, vogue, acclaim

2. the favor of the general public or of a particular group of people.

   His popularity with television audiences is unrivaled.

   Synonyms:

   repute, fame, fashion, vogue, acclaim

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• nonpopularity
  noun
• overpopularity
  noun
• semipopularity
  noun

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• popularities
  plural

Etymology

Origin of popularity

First recorded in 1540–50, popularity is from the Latin word populāritās a courting of popular favor. See popular, -ity

Explanation

Popularity is the quality of being well-liked and having a lot of friends and admirers. Winning a student council election isn't just about popularity — you also have to have good ideas and be willing to work hard. Having popularity means that there are many people in your corner, supporting or liking you. The popularity of an internet celebrity might disappear suddenly, while the popularity of your favorite writers and artists seems to last for generations. This kind of popularity implies being adored by people who don't even know you in person (the word comes from a Latin root meaning "the people"), while your popularity among your friends is a more personal type.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

popularity popularities

Zhang attributes biking's popularity in the city to the prevalence of manufacturers, the rugged terrain, and bad traffic.

From Barron's ● Aug. 2, 2026

Kalshi has led the surging popularity of prediction markets in the U.S., allowing users to speculate on things ranging from sports and major events to flight cancellations.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 31, 2026

The business’s growing popularity has proved lucrative: Paramount agreed last year to pay TKO Group $7.7 billion for seven years of exclusive media rights to all UFC matches.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 30, 2026

The Grammys has been grappling with how to reflect the growing popularity of K-Pop for a number of years.

From BBC ● Jul. 29, 2026

But I guess popularity always has and always will take its toll on people.

From "The Freedom Writers Diary" by The Freedom Writers

And while he’s happy for these books’ popularities, he says that some subjects may be better told by kids who also aren’t tasked with saving the world.

From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 10, 2026

We have seen extended popularities of “connect the dots,” “touching base,” “walking you through,” “deep dive,” “gain traction” and “circle back.”

From Washington Post ● Jul. 31, 2017

That is, the difference between the popularities of a given song in different “worlds” increased as the strength of social influence increased.

From Scientific American ● Jun. 18, 2013

I should say that the popularity of M. Ohnet, like other popularities in England as well as in France, is quite explicable.

From A History of the French Novel, Vol. 2 To the Close of the 19th Century by Saintsbury, George

And in all art-work the first requisite is, that a man have, in the collective sense and reason of mankind, a firm foothold for withstanding the shifting currents and fashions and popularities of the day.

From Shakespeare: His Life, Art, And Characters, Volume I. With An Historical Sketch Of The Origin And Growth Of The Drama In England by Hudson, Henry Norman

Related Words

• acceptance
• acclaim
• demand
• fame
• following
• reputation