Populace is usually used to refer to all the people of a country. Thus, we're often told that an educated and informed populace is essential for a healthy American democracy. Franklin D. Roosevelt's famous radio "Fireside Chats" informed and reassured the American populace in the 1930s as we struggled through the Great Depression. We often hear about what "the general populace" is thinking or doing, but generalizing about something so huge can be tricky.
The populace has suffered greatly.
high officials awkwardly mingling with the general populace
Recent Examples on the WebAsian Americans make up 3% of people in Wisconsin, but the populace has grown by 82% since 2000.—Sakshi Venkatraman, NBC News, 4 Apr. 2024 Instead of dividing the people against the resistance, the junta’s extreme violence has only made much of Myanmar’s populace more determined to oust the military from power, according to analysts and people who spoke to CNN in the country.—Helen Regan, CNN, 28 Mar. 2024 Reuters reports that the Spanish High Court today ordered the country’s mobile operators to suspend the app, which is used by nearly a fifth of the populace.—David Meyer, Fortune, 25 Mar. 2024 In their long-running quest to sow xenophobia among the American populace, some on the far right have accused migrants of every imaginable crime.—Miles Klee, Rolling Stone, 15 Mar. 2024 There’s also a full coven hidden in the populace looking to gain power through their rituals and alliances with Mythos creatures.—Rob Wieland, Forbes, 22 Feb. 2024 Three days later, 11,000 Confederate troops entered Lexington to cheers from the populace.—Jeff Suess, The Enquirer, 28 Jan. 2024 Trouble is, the populace is restless, the provinces fractious, and the tribes growing - all equally expect patronage to flow their way in return for the Barzanis keeping their grip on power.—Melik Kaylan, Forbes, 21 Feb. 2024 Despite commendable efforts, achieving equitable assistance distribution across all communities remains a complex task, requiring continuous diligence in meeting the dynamic needs of the county’s diverse populace.—Hanna Kang, Orange County Register, 31 Jan. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'populace.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Etymology
Middle French, from Italian popolaccio rabble, augmentative of popolo the people, from Latin populus
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