1
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
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.
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Recent Examples of people
Frederick Melo, Twin Cities, 23 Sep. 2025
At the same time, maybe some people can only be reached on social media.
—Marc Ramirez, USA Today, 23 Sep. 2025
The Editors, National Review, 28 Nov. 2024
Our ancestors peopled the most lonesome reaches of the globe, from Hawaii to Easter Island, in the span of just a few thousand years.
—Cody Cottier, Discover Magazine, 21 Oct. 2024
See All Example Sentences for people
Plural noun
There’s going to be a lot more homeless people.
—Frederick Melo, Twin Cities, 23 Sep. 2025
At the same time, maybe some people can only be reached on social media.
—Marc Ramirez, USA Today, 23 Sep. 2025
Verb
Colonies founded by charters to private companies and peopled by restless dreamers gave us an entrepreneurial spirit from the outset.
—The Editors, National Review, 28 Nov. 2024
Our ancestors peopled the most lonesome reaches of the globe, from Hawaii to Easter Island, in the span of just a few thousand years.
—Cody Cottier, Discover Magazine, 21 Oct. 2024
See All Example Sentences for people
Recent Examples of Synonyms for people
Verb
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These bears inhabit all elevations of the park and are most active during early morning and late evening hours in spring and summer.—
Saman Shafiq,
USA Today,
18 Sep. 2025
-
It’s often said that, in New Orleans’ French Quarter, the dead outnumber the living, that residual energy from the past continues to inhabit the neighborhood’s 300-year-old buildings and mysterious courtyards.—
Angela Velasquez,
Footwear News,
18 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Most organizations still think that if the fields are populated and the formats are correct, the data must be good.—
Kevin Campbell,
Forbes.com,
16 Sep. 2025
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In the IFLScience report, Co-author Peter Bellwood described the results as consistent with a long-running regional mortuary tradition and suggested connections with early populations that populated Oceania.—
Kaif Shaikh,
Interesting Engineering,
16 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“People.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/people. Accessed 23 Sep. 2025.
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