popular

[ pop-yuh-ler ]

adjective

1. regarded with favor, approval, or affection by people in general:

   a popular preacher.

   Synonyms: bookmark

2. regarded with favor, approval, or affection by an acquaintance or acquaintances:

   He's not very popular with me just now.

3. of, relating to, or representing the people, especially the common people:

   popular discontent.

4. of the people as a whole, especially of all citizens of a nation or state qualified to participate in an election:

   popular suffrage; the popular vote; popular representation.

5. prevailing among the people generally:

   a popular superstition.

   Synonyms: current, common

6. suited to or intended for the general masses of people:

   popular music.

7. adapted to the ordinary intelligence or taste:

   popular lectures on science.

8. suited to the means of ordinary people; not expensive:

   popular prices on all tickets.

popular

/ ˈpɒpjʊlə; ˌpɒpjʊˈlærɪtɪ /

adjective

1. appealing to the general public; widely favoured or admired
2. favoured by an individual or limited group

   I'm not very popular with her

3. connected with, representing, or prevailing among the general public; common

   popular discontent

4. appealing to or comprehensible to the layman

   a popular lecture on physics

noun

1. usually plural cheap newspapers with mass circulation; the popular press Also shortened topops

Derived Forms

• popularity, noun

Other Words From

• anti·popu·lar adjective
• non·popu·lar adjective
• over·popu·lar adjective
• pseudo·popu·lar adjective
• quasi-popu·lar adjective
• semi·popu·lar adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of popular¹

First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English populer, from Latin populāris; people, -ar ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of popular¹

C15: from Latin populāris belonging to the people, democratic, from populus people

Synonym Study

See general.

Example Sentences

The network became only more popular after Donald Trump emerged as a viable Republican presidential candidate in 2015 and disrupted the accepted norms in presidential politics.

From Los Angeles Times

Chrome, which is free to use, is the most popular web browser in the world and part of an elaborate Google ecosystem that keeps people using the company’s products.

From New York Times

Despite repeated claims from GOP corners that the United States gave Donald Trump a "mandate" on Election Day, the president-elect has still not secured a majority of the popular vote.

From Salon

MrBeast, the world's most popular YouTuber, will launch Beast Games on Amazon Prime Video on 19 December, although that show has been at the centre of controversy.

From BBC

The crowded shopping bazaar in the Istanbul district of Esenyurt is popular with the thousands of Syrian refugees who live in the region.

From BBC

Related Words

• attractive
• beloved
• famous
• fashionable
• favored
• prominent
• suitable
• trendy