people 1 of 2

plural noun

ˈpē-pəl How to pronounce people (audio)
Definition of peoplenext
1
as in world
human beings in general despite the horrors she witnessed, Anne Frank never lost her faith in people

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance
2
as in populace
the body of the community as contrasted with the elite tensions mounted until the people rose up in rebellion

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in family
a group of persons who come from the same ancestor introduced my new boyfriend to my people

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

people

2 of 2

verb

as in to inhabit
to supply with inhabitants a science-fiction novel about a mission to people Mars

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of people
Plural noun
The weather service said people should drink plenty of water, wear lightweight and light-colored clothing and use air conditioning. — Jeanine Santucci, USA Today, 4 July 2026 Its young people are increasingly educated and ambitious but many are frustrated over fierce competition for limited jobs. — Ayushi Shah, CNN Money, 4 July 2026
Verb
The Master is the greatest of them all, a movie peopled by characters who are at once intensely human and also the stuff of otherworldly fables. — Alison Willmore, Vulture, 25 Sep. 2025 Throughout Humphreys County and Hickman County, peopled gathered with their churches for support and comfort in the days after the tragedy. — Beth Warren, Nashville Tennessean, 12 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for people
Recent Examples of Synonyms for people
  1. inhabit
  2. populate
Verb
  • An early career launched without shortcuts, with small roles in TV series and B movies until his major success as the star of the series ER, formed an actor who is able to inhabit the screen with disarming spontaneity.
    — Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 6 July 2026
  • These three deities are thought to be personifications of the Dao who inhabit the highest realms of the Daoist cosmos, far from the dust of day-to-day life.
    — Michael Naparstek, The Conversation, 6 July 2026
Definition of inhabit
Verb
  • According to the complaint, the system automatically populated driver's license numbers when someone entered basic identifying information, such as a person's name and address.
    — Brian Sloan, CNBC, 3 July 2026
  • Both are high-traffic areas near the Mall sure to be populated by many fireworks-seeking tourists this weekend.
    — Kelsey Ables, The Atlantic, 3 July 2026
Definition of populate

Browse Nearby Words

peons
people
peopled
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“People.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/people. Accessed 8 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on people

Nglish: Translation of people for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of gambol

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

One-Word Oxymorons: Bittersweet, Spendthrift, and More

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
hangman letters and game
Hangman Lightning Round Figure out which word fits in the blanks.
See All