man in the street
MediumNeutral to semi-formal. Common in journalism, political commentary, and general discussion.
Definition
Meaning
An ordinary, average, or typical member of the public, considered as lacking specialized knowledge or expertise.
A hypothetical person representing the views, interests, or common sense of the general populace, often used as a benchmark for public opinion or as a contrast to experts, officials, or elites.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
The phrase is generic and non-gender-specific in modern usage (meaning 'ordinary person'), though the lexeme 'man' is historically masculine. It functions as a singular noun phrase but has a collective sense. Often used with 'the' (i.e., *the* man in the street).
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
The phrase is equally common and understood in both varieties. 'Average Joe' or 'John Q. Public' are more distinctly American near-synonyms, while 'man on the Clapham omnibus' is a more specific British legal equivalent.
Connotations
Neutral to slightly informal in both. No significant difference in connotation.
Frequency
Similar frequency; perhaps slightly more frequent in UK political/journalistic discourse due to the legacy of the 'Clapham omnibus' legal standard.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[the] + man in the street + [verb] (e.g., understands, thinks)[preposition] + the man in the street (e.g., for the man in the street)[adjective] + to the man in the street (e.g., important to the man in the street)Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “man on the Clapham omnibus (UK legal term)”
- “average Joe (US)”
- “every Tom, Dick, and Harry (informal, often pejorative)”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Rare. Might appear in marketing discussions about 'the average consumer'.
Academic
Rare in technical writing. Appears in political science, sociology, or media studies as a conceptual term for public opinion.
Everyday
Common in conversation about politics, economics, or news, e.g., 'How will this affect the man in the street?'
Technical
Not used in STEM fields. The legal term 'reasonable person' or 'man on the Clapham omnibus' is used in law.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- This policy is not something the man in the street would champion.
- The minister claimed to man-in-the-street the complex issue, but failed.
American English
- They tried to man-in-the-street the technical jargon for the broadcast.
- Politicians often man-in-the-street their proposals during campaigns.
adjective
British English
- He has a man-in-the-street understanding of economics.
- The paper published a man-in-the-street survey outside the station.
American English
- The ad aimed for a man-in-the-street appeal.
- Her man-in-the-street perspective was refreshing in the debate.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The man in the street often buys bread from this shop.
- My dad is a man in the street; he is not a politician.
- The new tax will cost the man in the street about £50 a year.
- Journalists asked the man in the street for his opinion on the new law.
- The complex trade agreement was poorly understood by the man in the street, despite its significant impact.
- Politicians are often accused of being out of touch with the concerns of the man in the street.
- While economists debated the finer points of quantitative easing, the man in the street was primarily worried about rising energy bills.
- The concept of judicial review is largely abstract to the man in the street, yet it fundamentally shapes their rights.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a literal person standing on a typical city street, surrounded by other ordinary people, not in a suit or uniform, representing everyday public opinion.
Conceptual Metaphor
ORDINARY PEOPLE ARE NON-ELITE/UNINFORMED PERSONS ON A PUBLIC THOROUGHFARE. The 'street' represents public, common space, contrasted with private offices, institutions, or centres of expertise.
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid direct calque 'человек на улице', which implies a literal person currently outdoors. Use 'средний / обычный человек', 'простой человек', or 'рядовой гражданин'.
- Do not confuse with 'человек с улицы' which can have a negative connotation of an uncultured outsider.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'men in the street' as a plural (acceptable but less common; 'people in the street' is often used for plural sense).
- Omitting the definite article 'the' (*'What does man in the street think?').
- Using it to refer to literally homeless people (incorrect).
Practice
Quiz
In which context is 'the man in the street' LEAST likely to be used?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It can be perceived as such due to the use of 'man'. In more sensitive or formal contexts, alternatives like 'the average person', 'ordinary citizen', or 'the public' are often preferred. However, the phrase remains in common use with a generic meaning.
Yes, 'men in the street' is grammatically possible but less common. To avoid the gendered plural and sound more natural, phrases like 'people in the street', 'ordinary people', or 'members of the public' are frequently used for the plural concept.
A 'passer-by' is a literal person walking past a specific location. 'Man in the street' is an abstract, representative figure for the general public and is not necessarily literally on a street at that moment.
Historically, 'woman in the street' was sometimes used, but it never gained the same idiomatic, representative force. In modern usage, the phrase is treated as gender-neutral in meaning, though the wording is not.