everyman

noun

ev·​ery·​man ˈev-rē-ˌman How to pronounce everyman (audio)
often capitalized
: the typical or ordinary person

Examples of everyman in a Sentence

an actor who is seen as the image of everyman despite his superstar status, in his movies the actor is able to play the role of an everyman quite convincingly
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Tough guy, everyman:Gene Hackman pursued anonymity and a private artist life in Santa Fe Hackman and Arakawa were devoted dog lovers Gaber met Hackman and Arakawa more than 18 years ago, when the couple learned of Gaber’s ability to improve animals’ health through chiropractic adjustments. Rick Jervis, USA TODAY, 3 Mar. 2025 With his unassuming looks and receding hairline, Hackman became Hollywood's quintessential everyman—often compared to Spencer Tracy. David Faris, Newsweek, 27 Feb. 2025 The role captured all of his ironic charm and misanthropic appeal within the kind of debonair character that the perennial everyman had never quite shown us before. David Sims, The Atlantic, 27 Feb. 2025 Ditto a downtrodden everyman who’s left his white-collar job in Quebec to reluctantly return to Winnipeg. David Fear, Rolling Stone, 14 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for everyman

Word History

Etymology

Everyman, allegorical character in The Summoning of Everyman, 15th century English morality play

First Known Use

1901, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of everyman was in 1901

Cite this Entry

“Everyman.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/everyman. Accessed 15 Mar. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on everyman

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!