as in masses
people looked down upon as ignorant and of the lowest class
the Bolsheviks believed that Russia's discontented proletariat made that nation ripe for revolution
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Recent Examples of proletariat
Because the exploited—the proletariat—have nothing to fall back on, nowhere further to sink, their liberation would be the liberation of history from class struggle.
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James Robins, The New Republic, 19 Jan. 2023
Now a college degree is the most reliable indicator of Democratic preference; the proletariat is dependably Republican.
—Gerard Baker, WSJ, 9 Jan. 2023
The numerically ascending service proletariat is frankly irrelevant in setting the terms of debate in our polity.
—Razib Khan, Discover Magazine, 20 Jan. 2013
The early republican army was one of freeborn citizens, and even after the Marian reforms which opened up the army to the proletariat the Roman legions were draw from the citizenry.
—Razib Khan, Discover Magazine, 6 Jan. 2013
See all Example Sentences for proletariat 
James Robins, The New Republic, 19 Jan. 2023
Now a college degree is the most reliable indicator of Democratic preference; the proletariat is dependably Republican.
—Gerard Baker, WSJ, 9 Jan. 2023
The numerically ascending service proletariat is frankly irrelevant in setting the terms of debate in our polity.
—Razib Khan, Discover Magazine, 20 Jan. 2013
The early republican army was one of freeborn citizens, and even after the Marian reforms which opened up the army to the proletariat the Roman legions were draw from the citizenry.
—Razib Khan, Discover Magazine, 6 Jan. 2013
See all Example Sentences for proletariat
Recent Examples of Synonyms for proletariat
Noun
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At almost every moment since May, the election has found a way to demand the near-constant attention of a populace wary of former President Trump, President Biden and Vice President Harris, who are historically unpopular.Noah Bressner, Axios, 5 Nov. 2024
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Some notable proportion of the populace will undoubtedly seek mental solace, of which, modern-day generative AI presumably stands ready to help.Lance Eliot, Forbes, 4 Nov. 2024
Noun
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Advertisement From start to finish, pure madness, amid a rabble that never calmed, never quieted, never quit.Bill Plaschke, Los Angeles Times, 6 Oct. 2024
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All this anti-Soviet scum, all this rabble revolves around Sakharov.Gal Beckerman, Foreign Affairs, 10 May 2012
Noun
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That said, perhaps the most powerful protection against inflated salaries in Congress is the ballot box, and the voting public's general skepticism toward increases in Senate pay.Anne Marie Lee, CBS News, 5 Nov. 2024
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Berlin will be the only Iranian consulate available to the German public for the foreseeable future.Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 5 Nov. 2024
Noun
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Authorities are investigating a shooting that left two people injured early Saturday morning in Union City.Jakob Rodgers, The Mercury News, 17 Nov. 2024
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Scientists know now that the stealthy menace originated in east Asia and was probably spread inadvertently by people to every continent except Antarctica.Martin J. Kernan, Discover Magazine, 16 Nov. 2024
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Cite this Entry
“Proletariat.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/proletariat. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.
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