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Definitions

public

[puhb-lik] / ˈpʌb lɪk /
ADJECTIVE
community, general
Synonyms
STRONGEST
civic civil communal governmental mutual national popular social universal urban
STRONG
city common country federal free government metropolitan open state
WEAK
accessible conjoint conjunct free to all intermutual municipal not private open door unrestricted widespread without charge
Antonyms
STRONGEST
local private unshared
WEAK
particular specific unknown
ADJECTIVE
known, acknowledged
Synonyms
STRONGEST
overt popular social
STRONG
general open patent plain
WEAK
exposed in circulation notorious obvious prevalent published recognized societal usual vulgar widespread
Antonyms
STRONGEST
private
STRONG
abnormal ambiguous definite extraordinary hidden unclear uncommon vague
WEAK
particular specific unknown
NOUN
people of community; people interested in something
Synonyms
STRONGEST
audience community country electorate everyone nation people populace population society
STRONG
bodies buyers citizens clientele commonalty followers following heads masses mob multitude patrons suite supporters voters
WEAK
men and women

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.

Commercial secrecy should not take priority over public safety.

From Science Daily • Apr. 5, 2026

Randy Shilling went to public high school in Corpus Christi, Texas.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 5, 2026

Some council facilities closed on Saturday with the public being advised to stay clear of forests, country parks, and nature reserves until the storm ended.

From BBC • Apr. 4, 2026

The public debt generally is unsecured but it’s effectively backed by the BDC loan portfolios.

From Barron's • Apr. 4, 2026

Yet, these minor hints of family scandal only made the public want to know more about the Fox sisters and made their spirits more popular.

From "American Spirits" by Barb Rosenstock

From Roget's 21st Century Thesaurus, Third Edition Copyright © 2013 by the Philip Lief Group.