average Joes
Run-of-the-mill people
Average Joes are ordinary people—unremarkable in status, wealth, or ability.
The phrase suggests the common man, neither exceptional nor deficient: The policy affects average Joes, not just the wealthy.
Sometimes singular: He's just an average Joe trying to get by.
The name Joe serves as a placeholder for any generic American male.
Ordinary representative person
- regular guyUnpretentious common person
- common manTypical ordinary citizen
- plain folksOrdinary, unpretentious individuals
- ordinary peopleEveryday individuals, unremarkable
unremarkable · unexceptional · nondescript · run-of-the-mill · garden-variety · vanilla · generic · man on the street
Manual labor workforce
- middle-classIntermediate socioeconomic group
- working-classManual laborers as group
- breadwinnerPrimary household earner
- nine-to-fiveRegular office schedule
commuter · suburban · hourly worker · lunch pail · hard hat · factory worker · office worker · cubicle
Practical and without pretension
- humbleUnassuming about oneself
- modestLacking in pretension
- unassumingNot making claims
- simpleFree of complexity
homespun · genuine · sincere · no-frills · straightforward · salt of the earth · regular · low-key
Mass entertainment and trends
- mass marketProduced for general consumers
- network televisionMajor channel broadcasting
- fast foodSpeedy prepared meals
- shopping mallLarge indoor retail center
sitcoms · blockbusters · radio hits · bestsellers · popular opinion · conventional wisdom · heartland · general public
Able to be recognized
- shared experiencesEvents undergone together
- common groundPoints of agreement
- universalityApplying to all cases
- accessibilityEase of approach
familiarity · recognizable · believable · realistic · empathy · connection · kinship · human
everyman
Ordinary representative person
- regular guyUnpretentious common person
- common manTypical ordinary citizen
- plain folksOrdinary, unpretentious individuals
ordinary people · unremarkable · unexceptional · nondescript · run-of-the-mill · garden-variety · vanilla · generic · man on the street · common folk
blue-collar
Manual labor workforce
- middle-classIntermediate socioeconomic group
- working-classManual laborers as group
- breadwinnerPrimary household earner
nine-to-five · commuter · suburban · hourly worker · lunch pail · hard hat · factory worker · office worker · cubicle · small-town
down-to-earth
Practical and without pretension
- humbleUnassuming about oneself
- modestLacking in pretension
- unassumingNot making claims
simple · homespun · genuine · sincere · no-frills · straightforward · salt of the earth · regular · low-key · plain-spoken
pop culture
Mass entertainment and trends
- mass marketProduced for general consumers
- network televisionMajor channel broadcasting
- fast foodSpeedy prepared meals
shopping mall · sitcoms · blockbusters · radio hits · bestsellers · popular opinion · conventional wisdom · heartland · general public · mass appeal
identifiable
Able to be recognized
- shared experiencesEvents undergone together
- common groundPoints of agreement
- universalityApplying to all cases
accessibility · familiarity · recognizable · believable · realistic · empathy · connection · kinship · human · authentic
average Joescelebrities
Well-known public figures
A-listers · superstars · VIPs · elites · stars
average Joeselites
Privileged powerful groups
the one percent · billionaires · millionaires · plutocrats · tycoons
average Joespower brokers
Hidden political influencers
movers and shakers · kingmakers · captains of industry · world leaders · heads of state