popular
adjective
pop·u·lar
ˈpä-pyə-lər 
1
: of or relating to the general public
2
: suitable to the majority: such as
a
: adapted to or indicative of the understanding and taste of the majority
a popular history of the war
b
: suited to the means of the majority : inexpensive
sold at popular prices
3
: frequently encountered or widely accepted
a popular theory
4
: commonly liked or approved
a very popular girl
popularly
adverb
Synonyms
Examples of popular in a Sentence
They have names that were popular a century ago.
He is a popular guy in school.
Spicy foods have become increasingly popular.
That is a very popular misconception.
The word “groovy” was popular in the 1960s but it's outdated now.
Her theories are popular among social scientists.
a popular history of physics
Recent Examples on the Web
While popular internationally, he is loved or despised in Spain.
—
Ciaran Giles, Fortune Europe, 29 Apr. 2024
Oral minoxidil is another popular medication that can treat patients experiencing androgenetic alopecia, and it’s also used to treat other hair loss, including alopecia areata and lymphocytic scarring alopecia, Agbai says.
—Caroline C. Boyle, USA TODAY, 29 Apr. 2024
In 2014, when Susana Martinez, a popular Republican and the nation’s first Latina governor, was up for reëlection in New Mexico, few Democrats wanted to mount an underdog campaign for governor, much less lieutenant governor.
—Casey Cep, The New Yorker, 29 Apr. 2024
Contrary to popular belief, the answer to all ADHD struggles is not only stimulant medications.
—Mikhal Weiner, Parents, 29 Apr. 2024
After all, 2020 saw the incumbent lose the popular vote by 4 percentage points.
—John V. Kane, TIME, 29 Apr. 2024
Many Arab governments have tried to tame or harness popular anger with heated rhetoric condemning Israel over the war.
—Emad Mekay, New York Times, 29 Apr. 2024
The show has also proven to be popular with critics, holding a 94% critical approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
—Joe Otterson, Variety, 29 Apr. 2024
By Anderson Cooper April 17, 2024 7:03 AM EDT
Like Ginger Rogers dancing backwards and in heels, Kelly Ripa makes co-hosting one of the most popular daytime talk shows on TV look effortless.
—Kelly Ripa, TIME, 17 Apr. 2024
Ciaran Giles, Fortune Europe, 29 Apr. 2024
Oral minoxidil is another popular medication that can treat patients experiencing androgenetic alopecia, and it’s also used to treat other hair loss, including alopecia areata and lymphocytic scarring alopecia, Agbai says.
—Caroline C. Boyle, USA TODAY, 29 Apr. 2024
In 2014, when Susana Martinez, a popular Republican and the nation’s first Latina governor, was up for reëlection in New Mexico, few Democrats wanted to mount an underdog campaign for governor, much less lieutenant governor.
—Casey Cep, The New Yorker, 29 Apr. 2024
Contrary to popular belief, the answer to all ADHD struggles is not only stimulant medications.
—Mikhal Weiner, Parents, 29 Apr. 2024
After all, 2020 saw the incumbent lose the popular vote by 4 percentage points.
—John V. Kane, TIME, 29 Apr. 2024
Many Arab governments have tried to tame or harness popular anger with heated rhetoric condemning Israel over the war.
—Emad Mekay, New York Times, 29 Apr. 2024
The show has also proven to be popular with critics, holding a 94% critical approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
—Joe Otterson, Variety, 29 Apr. 2024
By Anderson Cooper April 17, 2024 7:03 AM EDT
Like Ginger Rogers dancing backwards and in heels, Kelly Ripa makes co-hosting one of the most popular daytime talk shows on TV look effortless.
—Kelly Ripa, TIME, 17 Apr. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'popular.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near popular
Cite this Entry
“Popular.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/popular. Accessed 2 May. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
popular
adjective
pop·u·lar
ˈpäp-yə-lər
1
: of, relating to, or coming from the whole body of people
popular government
2
: suitable for the average person (as in low price or ease of understanding)
popular prices
popular science
3
: generally current : prevalent
popular opinion
4
: commonly liked or approved
a popular teacher
popularity
noun
ˌpäp-yə-ˈlar-ət-ē
popularly
adverb
Etymology
from Latin popularis "of the people," from populus "the people" — related to public
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