PROLETARIAN Synonyms: 66 Similar and Opposite Words

proletarian 1 of 2

adjective

Definition of proletarian

as in low

belonging to the class of people of low social or economic rank a self-made Internet magnate who is not at all ashamed of his proletarian background

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

proletarian

2 of 2

noun

as in plebeian

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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 proletarian

Adjective

But West Virginia is a proletarian locale that until not long ago was a Democratic stronghold. — Mark Leibovich, The Atlantic, 11 Feb. 2026 These ranged from the aristocratic elite who dominated the military and bureaucracy and yearned for a return to monarchy, to communists who sought proletarian rule, to the National Socialists who wanted to establish a right-wing dictatorship. — Time, 23 Oct. 2025 This new proletarian culture was personified in the ideal of the New Soviet Man. — Sonja Fritzsche, The Conversation, 9 Sep. 2025

Noun

Now artists, who had only recently emerged as solo entrepreneurs, reverted to their erstwhile status as proletarians—indeed, as migrant workers. — Diedrich Diederichsen, Artforum, 1 Dec. 2025 Fundamentally, the proletarian forfeits not so much income as individual freedom and the sovereignty of his or her class. — Benjamin Kunkel, Harpers Magazine, 28 Mar. 2025 On the one hand, the proletarian contributes every bit of on-the-clock activity to the value of the resulting commodity. — Benjamin Kunkel, Harpers Magazine, 28 Mar. 2025 The song, now considered a protest anthem, is about a social revolution in which French proletarians stand against the ruling class — in this case, an oppressive monarchy. — Raven Brunner, People.com, 24 Feb. 2025 As a proudly class-conscious proletarian, Martin is naturally supportive of worker strikes. — J. Hoberman, The New York Review of Books, 22 Oct. 2020 Yet modern liberalism fits the modern world of high human capital better than the old rightish model of dim-witted peasants properly led by the aristocracy or the old leftish model of gormless proletarians properly led by The Party. — The Economist, 8 Jan. 2020 Owing to the extensive use of machinery and to division of labour, the work of the proletarians has lost all individual character, and, consequently, all charm for the workman. — Tristram Hunt, WSJ, 25 Jan. 2019

Recent Examples of Synonyms for proletarian

Adjective

Landrew came off the bench for the first time this preseason and used his physicality to get to the basket for a pair of layups in the first half while Oskar Giltay battled with 7-foot-4 Daniel Jacobsen down low.

— Joe Arruda, Hartford Courant, 28 Oct. 2026
The distance is worth it for travelers who want a budget-friendly hotel that still has loads of style, as prices tend to be significantly lower than downtown hotels.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 28 Oct. 2026

Definition of low

Noun

In the latter years of the Roman Republic, landowners amassed unprecedented riches while plebeians floundered, spawning resentment that infected many corners of society.

— Anand Gopal, New Yorker, 28 Feb. 2026
How could the bookseller trust two random plebeians off the street?

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 16 Dec. 2025

Definition of plebeian

Adjective

But new research is shedding light on what life was like for middle- and lower-class residents.

— Ashley Strickland, CNN Money, 20 July 2026
The franchise centers around a dystopian nation called Panem, where rich and authoritarian leaders force twelve lower-class districts to submit two children to fight in a deadly, and televised, battle every year.

— Nicholas Rice, PEOPLE, 11 July 2026

Definition of lower-class

Adjective

But the earlier dolls were crude, lumpen things, a cross between a beanbag and a sculpted potato.

— Alexandra Schwartz, New Yorker, 9 Feb. 2026
Yet Empire Falls translates into a lumpen, stodgy miniseries, despite a fine central performance from Harris as a divorced diner owner with deep roots in the town and a structure that allows the past to keep informing and enriching the present.

— Scott Tobias, Vulture, 14 Apr. 2024

Definition of lumpen

Noun

Previously, princesses who marry a commoner had to renounce their royal status and leave the royal family.

— ABC News, ABC News, 24 Oct. 2026
The former couple had broken up in 1955, as Margaret weighed losing her royal income and claim to the throne against marrying Townsend (a commoner and divorcé).

— Bailey Bujnosek, InStyle, 1 Sep. 2026

Definition of commoner

Adjective

Fresh off a massive four-year, $180-million contract extension that solidified Reaves as a legitimate star player, the humble Arkansas native has elevated his game with the same mindset taught to him from his parents and older brother.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 27 Oct. 2026
In the early days, players were humble, and genuinely grateful just to have a place in the United States to play.

— Patricia Babcock McGraw OutKick, FOXNews.com, 27 Oct. 2026

Definition of humble

Noun

Instead of following his gut like some unenlightened pleb, Patrick trusts his spleen and his spleen alone.

— Laura Bradley, Vulture, 13 Aug. 2025
But because these monsters have yet to develop any fungal armor, runners are susceptible to gunshots, knives, and any other weaponry that would take out your average pleb.

— Lauren Puckett-Pope, ELLE, 20 Jan. 2023

Definition of pleb

Browse Nearby Words

proles

proletarian

proletarians

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Cite this Entry

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“Proletarian.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/proletarian. Accessed 29 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of proletarian

adjective

noun

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