hoi polloi

plural noun

ˌhȯi-pə-ˈlȯi How to pronounce hoi polloi (audio)
Definition of hoi polloinext
as in public
the body of the community as contrasted with the elite "I pay no attention to the opinions of the hoi polloi," the writer sniffed

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 hoi polloi The whitewashed building’s accessible only by a five-minute speedboat ride or helicopter, keeping the hoi polloi at bay; the skipper and boat come bundled for your use during your stay, as does a hostess and cook. — Laura Dannen Redman, Robb Report, 23 July 2026 Now, many pessimists would say that just based on interviewing the person on the street, there’s not a big appetite for this kind of transformation among the hoi polloi. — John Werner, Forbes.com, 25 Feb. 2026 Next up is none other than The U, yet another member of the college football hoi polloi, in a championship game that might require organ donation to get a ticket. — Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 10 Jan. 2026 Colbert has sober Catholic suits and an in-studio audience of the local hoi polloi. — Zak Cheney-Rice, Vulture, 15 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for hoi polloi
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hoi polloi
people
Plural Noun
  • The proposal would have directed money from the Treasury Department’s Judgment Fund to compensate people who claimed they were politically targeted by federal investigations during the Biden administration.
    — Claire Carter, The Washington Examiner, 5 Sep. 2026
  • The festival, with a capacity of 80,000 people, also was hit with mud and rain in 2023 as many attendees were trapped on its grounds, where vehicle traffic was temporarily limited and some hiked in the mud to nearby towns.
    — Dennis Romero, NBC news, 5 Sep. 2026
Definition of people

Browse Nearby Words

hoicks
hoi polloi
hoist
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Cite this Entry

“Hoi polloi.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hoi%20polloi. Accessed 5 Sep. 2026.

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