grassroots

[gras-roots, -roots, grahs-] / ˈgræsˌruts, -ˌrʊts, ˈgrɑs- /

NOUN

ordinary citizens

Synonyms

WEAK

Middle America common people hoi polloi laboring class middle class proletariat rank and file the masses wage-earners working class working people

ADJECTIVE

involving ordinary people, rather than politicians

Synonyms

STRONG

democratic local middle-class neighborhood provincial working-class

WEAK

broad-based everyday popular populist widespread

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

But it does let marketers test products in the wild, conduct grassroots consumer research and speak precisely to a ready-made target audience, proponents say.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 13, 2026

It started out as a small grassroots event held at the Legacy Centre in Newtown, Birmingham.

From BBC • Apr. 8, 2026

But the gap between grassroots fundraising and a $15-million build remains formidable.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 7, 2026

He also encouraged comedy to "explore" whether it can introduce a voluntary ticket levy similar to music, which sees larger venues reinvest in the grassroots.

From BBC • Apr. 4, 2026

Shin did not yet know this, but grassroots capitalism, vagabond trading, and rampant corruption were creating cracks in the police state that surrounded Camp 14.

From "Escape from Camp 14: One Man's Remarkable Odyssey from North Korea to Freedom in the West" by Blaine Harden

Vocabulary lists containing grassroots

Idioms and Expressions, List 4

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