Definition

1. Noun:
   • The ordinary people of a country or region, considered collectively; the general population. This refers to the common citizens or inhabitants as a whole, often distinguished from the elite or ruling classes.
   • The public; the masses. This sense emphasizes the collective body of people in a society.

Examples of Usage

• Noun:
  • The government's new policy was unpopular with the general populace.
  • The palace was separated from the populace by high walls.
  • He wrote a book designed to appeal to the common populace.

Advanced Usage

• "The populace at large": The general public; the population as a whole.
  • The new law affects the populace at large.
• "To sway/mobilize the populace": To influence or rally the general public.
  • The leader's speech aimed to mobilize the populace behind the cause.

Variants and Related Words

• Population (n): All the inhabitants of a particular place. While closely related, "population" is a more neutral, statistical term, whereas "populace" often carries a social or political connotation of the common people.
• Populous (adj): Having a large population.
  • Jakarta is a populous city.

Synonyms

• The public
• The masses
• The common people
• The citizenry
• The inhabitants

Antonyms

• The elite
• The aristocracy
• The ruling class

Related Idioms

• "Vox populi": A Latin phrase meaning "the voice of the people." It is sometimes used in English to refer to public opinion.
  • The election result was seen as vox populi.

Noun

1. people in general considered as a whole
   • he is a hero in the eyes of the public