as in low
belonging to the class of people of low social or economic rank
wondered what the people at the country club would think of his plebeian origins
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in proletarian
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 plebeian
Joey Capparella, Car and Driver, 4 Aug. 2023
Wide fenders, a menacing front fascia, and GR Corolla–specific wheels are only the tip of the iceberg that separates Toyota's hottest hatch from its more plebeian Corolla sibling.
—Greg Fink, Car and Driver, 1 Apr. 2022
Phil Kirschner, Forbes, 3 Nov. 2024
For us plebeians, riding a ski resort gondola means adhering to a lengthy set of rules.
—Frederick Dreier, Outside Online, 24 Sep. 2024
See All Example Sentences for plebeian
Adjective
View Photos These plebeian sedans don't exhibit the manic price inflation seen in much of the automotive market.
—Joey Capparella, Car and Driver, 4 Aug. 2023
Wide fenders, a menacing front fascia, and GR Corolla–specific wheels are only the tip of the iceberg that separates Toyota's hottest hatch from its more plebeian Corolla sibling.
—Greg Fink, Car and Driver, 1 Apr. 2022
Noun
The first is the secession of the plebeians, where commoners staged a walkout in protest of unfair treatment by the ruling class.
—Phil Kirschner, Forbes, 3 Nov. 2024
For us plebeians, riding a ski resort gondola means adhering to a lengthy set of rules.
—Frederick Dreier, Outside Online, 24 Sep. 2024
See All Example Sentences for plebeian
Recent Examples of Synonyms for plebeian
Adjective
-
Even though the amount of each check is lower, investing it in the stock market, which averages an annual return of 10%, could make up for that loss and more.—
Medora Lee,
USA TODAY,
25 Feb. 2025
-
Research has found that people who regularly practice mindfulness generally experience less stress and lower levels of cortisol.—
Julia Ries,
SELF,
24 Feb. 2025
Noun
-
Later in the novel, Hans’s mind turns to the brutality of occupation: If in the course of a five-day plan, 200,000 Berliners were removed by 50,000, these 50,000 proletarians would be fused into a collective by the shock of having killed.—
Rumaan Alam,
The New Republic,
21 June 2023
-
As a proudly class-conscious proletarian, Martin is naturally supportive of worker strikes.—
J. Hoberman,
The New York Review of Books,
22 Oct. 2020
Noun
-
The fledglings were savored by the nobility and the clergy, who, according to Fritz’s research, passed decrees to keep commoners from killing them, to preserve them for themselves.—
Nick Paumgarten,
The New Yorker,
10 Feb. 2025
-
Despite being a commoner, Harald broke his father’s rule and began dating Sonja, but Olav ordered Harald to cut off contact with her once he was made aware of their relationship.—
Rachel Burchfield,
People.com,
28 Jan. 2025
Adjective
-
By the time Napoleon invaded Egypt, in 1798, Alexandria had become a humble Ottoman port.—
Hannah Edgar,
ARTnews.com,
27 Feb. 2025
-
Instead, Ram is using the humble 3.6 L Pentastar V6.—
Ars Technica,
Ars Technica,
27 Feb. 2025
Noun
-
Occasionally, like tonight, a chiseled pleb or square-jawed gym owner will pass muster, taking her to some exclusive club in Tribeca.—
Seija Rankin,
EW.com,
29 Apr. 2021
-
But because these monsters have yet to develop any fungal armor, runners are susceptible to gunshots, knives, and any other weaponry that would take out your average pleb.—
Lauren Puckett-Pope,
ELLE,
20 Jan. 2023
Adjective
-
But on this southern front of the Trump empire, Palm Beach County, Donald Trump is flirting with ignoble defeat.—
Miami Herald Archives,
Miami Herald,
8 Jan. 2025
-
This is something of an ignoble cap to one of the worst years of Rodgers' illustrious career.—
David Faris,
Newsweek,
29 Dec. 2024
Adjective
-
The mood in the stands continued to waver between nervousness, concern and blind panic as Premier League leaders Liverpool grimly clung to their narrow 2-1 lead against lowly Wolverhampton Wanderers on Sunday.—
James Pearce,
The Athletic,
16 Feb. 2025
-
Williams has been rock solid for the lowly Hornets this season, averaging 16 points and 9.8 rebounds per game on 59.7 percent shooting and 1.2 blocks.—
Thomas G. Moukawsher,
Newsweek,
6 Feb. 2025
Noun
-
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
Cite this Entry
“Plebeian.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/plebeian. Accessed 3 Mar. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share