peanut gallery
noun
1
: the upper balcony of a theater
Carnegie Hall was packed, the balconies rising row on row, full, even to the "peanut gallery."—
Lady Bird Johnson
Lady Bird Johnson
also
: a section of cheap seats in a theater or the group of spectators seated there
I don't even get to sit with Megan since she's real high society and I'm just her … fiancée. I'll be down in the peanut gallery with the low-lifes … —John Ringo
John Ringo 2
: a group of critics or commentators likened to spectators in the cheap seats of a theater
But even so, last year's adaptation … reaped more backlash from critics than its pop-blockbuster excellence deserved. The peanut gallery didn't like director Gary Ross's handheld camerawork …—Ross Douthat
Ross DouthatThe announcement that "The Inheritance of Loss" had won the Booker was met (as these announcements always are) with a few gripes from the peanut gallery in Britain.—Dwight Garner
Dwight GarnerExamples of peanut gallery in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The peanut gallery looks on in awe — Emily still has around 80 nails left to get through by the time Tina has cleared her entire board.
—Emma Sharpe, Vulture, 18 Sep. 2024
Robyn refused to accept a one-on-one discussion with Candiace, which allowed for too much interference from the peanut gallery.
—Shamira Ibrahim, Vulture, 7 Jan. 2024
Comcast could wind up turning a profit when all is said and done, but the stillness at the heart of the online peanut gallery may prove to be Paris’ greatest legacy.
—Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 13 Aug. 2024
The private sorrows that are amplified by a thousand casually cruel cuts from the cultural peanut gallery.
—April Daniels Hussar, Allure, 24 July 2024
See all Example Sentences for peanut gallery 
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Emma Sharpe, Vulture, 18 Sep. 2024
Robyn refused to accept a one-on-one discussion with Candiace, which allowed for too much interference from the peanut gallery.
—Shamira Ibrahim, Vulture, 7 Jan. 2024
Comcast could wind up turning a profit when all is said and done, but the stillness at the heart of the online peanut gallery may prove to be Paris’ greatest legacy.
—Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 13 Aug. 2024
The private sorrows that are amplified by a thousand casually cruel cuts from the cultural peanut gallery.
—April Daniels Hussar, Allure, 24 July 2024
See all Example Sentences for peanut gallery
Dictionary Entries Near peanut gallery
Cite this Entry
“Peanut gallery.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/peanut%20gallery. Accessed 23 Nov. 2024.
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