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as in democratic
of, relating to, or favoring political democracy a truly popular revolution, not one that replaced one dictatorship with another

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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as in affordable
being within the financial means of most people from their inception, DVDs were designed to be sold directly to consumers at popular prices

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective popular contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of popular are common, familiar, ordinary, plain, and vulgar. While all these words mean "generally met with and not in any way special, strange, or unusual," popular applies to what is accepted by or prevalent among people in general sometimes in contrast to upper classes or special groups.

a writer of popular romances

When is it sensible to use common instead of popular?

While the synonyms common and popular are close in meaning, common implies usual everyday quality or frequency of occurrence and may additionally suggest inferiority or coarseness.

a common error
lacked common honesty
common manners

When would familiar be a good substitute for popular?

In some situations, the words familiar and popular are roughly equivalent. However, familiar stresses the fact of being generally known and easily recognized.

a familiar melody

When might ordinary be a better fit than popular?

While in some cases nearly identical to popular, ordinary stresses conformance in quality or kind with the regular order of things.

an ordinary pleasant summer day
a very ordinary sort of man

In what contexts can plain take the place of popular?

The words plain and popular can be used in similar contexts, but plain is likely to suggest homely simplicity.

plain hard-working people

How are the words vulgar and popular related?

Vulgar, otherwise similar to popular, is likely to carry derogatory connotations (as of inferiority or coarseness).

souvenirs designed to appeal to the vulgar taste

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 popular All park users will be allowed to park for free for three hours at Inspiration Point, an overflow lot at the park’s southern edge where trams take people to the park’s more popular destinations. David Garrick, San Diego Union-Tribune, 16 Sep. 2025 Fossil hunting is a hugely popular pastime in Florida, largely thanks to the state's unique geology. Alice Gibbs, MSNBC Newsweek, 16 Sep. 2025 But a three-year stint on the popular Nickelodeon variety series All That launched him to fame, leading to his own series, The Nick Cannon Show, and subsequent hosting gigs for shows like America's Got Talent and his current post at The Masked Singer. Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 16 Sep. 2025 Former Biden administration Health Secretary Xavier Becerra is embracing the popular short-video app to target Spanish-language users. Preston Fore, Fortune, 16 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for popular
Recent Examples of Synonyms for popular
Adjective
  • In advance of the 1964 Tokyo Olympics, police swept the streets of Ginza, a fashionable neighborhood in Tokyo, for members of a group of style-conscious students known as the Miyuki Tribe.
    Lauren Collins, New Yorker, 15 Sep. 2025
  • Bell recently made the most fashionable host at the 2025 Screen Actors Guild Awards in February, commanding the stage in not one, but four different Giorgio Armani Privé looks throughout the night.
    Laney Crawley, PEOPLE, 15 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • As a result, embodied emissions, e-waste, and the administrative burden of the conventional hardware refresh cycle are greatly reduced.
    Thomas Coughlin, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2025
  • Broiler Basics & Heat Intensity Unlike conventional oven baking, which uses indirect heat, a broiler produces direct, concentrated heat from above—essentially like an upside-down grill inside your oven.
    Katie Rosenhouse, Southern Living, 14 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • For more on the Washington Commanders and general NFL news, head over to Newsweek Sports.
    Evan Massey, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 Sep. 2025
  • That age group’s spending on general merchandise at clubs rose by 3% for January to July 2025 compared to the same period in the year prior, according to Circana, which tracks checkout data across retailers.
    Melissa Repko, CNBC, 20 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • The rise is coupled with major political shifts in the country following the election of President Bernardo Arévalo, who vowed to fight corruption, tackle inequality, and rectify the discrimination against Indigenous Peoples after years of democratic erosion and corruption.
    Simmone Shah, Time, 16 Sep. 2025
  • When registering to vote is presented in a group setting, students who understand their civic obligation to participate in the democratic process are more likely to speak up to support their peers and push past barriers to register.
    Cindy Havey, Forbes.com, 16 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Unlocking perks But the rising cost of card membership has led some users to downgrade to lower-tier versions or explore more affordable offerings from Capital One or Citigroup, senior Bankrate analyst Ted Rossman told CNBC in June.
    Hugh Son, CNBC, 18 Sep. 2025
  • Rent has been falling in recent months in parts of the country that have built the most new homes, including rental units—topping the list is Austin, Texas, which Zillow identifies as the most affordable metropolitan area in the country for rent.
    Giulia Carbonaro, MSNBC Newsweek, 18 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Here, the median sale price of a home is about $137,000—one of the cheapest price tags in the country.
    Giulia Carbonaro, MSNBC Newsweek, 18 Sep. 2025
  • Health insurers plan to raise rates, pointing to rising health care costs, tariffs on prescription drugs and medical device imports, and the possible expiration of premium tax credits instituted during former President Joe Biden's administration that made plans cheaper.
    Sarah Volpenhein, jsonline.com, 18 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • September is the perfect time to use mild weather to your advantage and get your favorite perennials in the ground.
    Heather Bien, Southern Living, 19 Sep. 2025
  • Getty Images The album might seem irrelevant to a majority of music listeners, who now go for individual tracks and make playlists on their favorite streaming service.
    Steve Baltin, Forbes.com, 18 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Many of Garmin’s usual non-connected features are present in the Bounce 2 as well.
    Andrew Williams, Forbes.com, 17 Sep. 2025
  • Temperatures will remain warmer than usual for this time of year, with highs climbing to the upper 80s or near 90 degrees in the metro area.
    Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 17 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Popular.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/popular. Accessed 22 Sep. 2025.

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