The most useful people synonym changes with the group you have in mind: individuals for single humans counted one by one, the public or citizens for a whole society, folks for a friendly tone, and staff or team for a workplace. People is one of the most frequent nouns in English, so repeating it in a single paragraph happens easily.
Further down, each kind of crowd gets another word for people, plus a note on people versus persons versus peoples, and swaps that keep your writing inclusive and clear. For one human, see the person synonyms page.
Swatch at a glance
Best swaps
individuals, the public, citizens, folks, everyonePart of speech
Plural noun (also a rare verb: to people a place)Most formal
persons, the populace, inhabitantsMost casual
folks, everybody, guys (informal, see note)Most inclusive
humankind, everyone, all of usAntonyms
None exact. Nobody and no one express the absence of people.Watch out
The masses can sound condescending toward ordinary citizens. Use the public instead in neutral writing.
Every people synonym, matched to its group
| Which people? | Swap in | Sample sentence |
|---|---|---|
| Humans in general | individuals, humans, everyone | Most individuals sleep less in summer. |
| Those who live in a place | residents, locals, inhabitants, citizens | Locals know the best beach. |
| The public as a whole | the public, society, the population | The public can visit on Sundays. |
| A shared culture or nation | nation, community, culture | The island community holds a spring festival. |
| Relatives | family, relatives, folks, kin | My folks live near the coast. |
| Workers in a company | staff, employees, team, personnel | All staff must wear badges. |
Tone and register, chip by chip
The strip of chips runs from casual to formal. Folks is warm and common in American speech: thanks, folks. Everyone stays neutral, so it suits a speech, a memo or a text. Individuals stresses separate humans and fits research and reports. Persons is legal or official: no more than eight persons in the elevator. The populace is the stiffest, mostly found in history and politics essays.
Guys is very common in casual talk for any group, but some listeners hear it as male only. Everyone, all of you or folks avoid that issue.
People, persons or peoples?
People is the everyday plural of person: three people came. Persons is the same plural in legal and formal notices: persons under sixteen must be accompanied. Peoples means more than one nation or ethnic group: the peoples of the Pacific. Using peoples for a crowd of humans is an error, and persons in casual speech sounds stiff.
Swapping people in real sentences
- People in the town were upset becomes residents were upset.
- Many people think the rule is fair becomes many citizens think the rule is fair.
- The people at my office are kind becomes my coworkers are kind.
- Young people need safe parks becomes teenagers need safe parks or young residents need safe parks.
- People who use the bus becomes bus riders or commuters.
- The company hired more people becomes the company took on more staff.
A student essay line: "People say people should recycle, but people often forget." The fix names who acts: "Most households agree that recycling matters, yet many forget to sort their bins." A precise group noun makes the sentence clearer and less repetitive.
Name the group instead
The strongest replacement is often a specific noun. Instead of people, write the role they play in your sentence: voters, shoppers, patients, readers, fans, neighbors, visitors or students. For a report on a new store, shoppers tells the reader far more than people does. The group synonyms page helps when you need a word for a collection rather than its members.
Respectful and inclusive choices
Older texts use mankind and men for all humans. Many writers now prefer humankind, humanity or people itself, which include everyone without effort. When writing about a specific community, use the name the group uses for itself and avoid lumping groups together as those people, which can sound dismissive.
Does people have an opposite?
Not really. People names humans, and there is no word for un-humans. Depending on context, writers contrast people with animals, machines or things, or express absence with nobody, no one and an empty room. That is why the antonym list on this page is empty. As a verb, the opposite of to people a place is depopulate or empty.
Frequently asked questions
What is another word for people in an essay?
Individuals, citizens and society work well in essays. Even better, name the exact group, such as students, workers or voters.
Is it wrong to say persons?
It is correct but formal. Persons appears in laws, signs and official forms, while people is the normal plural everywhere else.
Can I use folks instead of people?
Yes, in friendly speech and casual writing. Folks sounds warm and slightly American, and it can also mean your parents.
Which word means people of a whole country?
The nation, the population, citizens or the public. Nation stresses shared identity, while population is a neutral count.
Is humankind better than mankind?
Many style guides prefer humankind or humanity because they clearly include everyone. Mankind is still understood but can sound dated.
What do you call the people you work with?
Coworkers, colleagues, staff or your team. Colleagues sounds the most professional.