folks
Mom and dad
Folks is a warm, informal word for people—often a specific group you're addressing or referring to.
Hey folks, dinner's ready.
Some folks just don't listen.
Your folks are your parents or family: I'm visiting my folks this weekend.
The word carries a down-to-earth, unpretentious tone, making it popular with politicians and public speakers seeking connection with ordinary people.
Mother and father
- relativesThose connected by blood
- kinfolkFamily members collectively
- ancestorsThose from whom one descends
- grandparentsAncestors once removed
elders · clan · lineage · heritage · bloodline · descendants · siblings · cousins
Humans as a group
- everyoneAll people collectively
- y'allInformal plural you
- buddiesInformal term for friends
- palsInformal term for companions
friends · gang · crew · mates · neighbors · crowd · guys · peeps
Those dwelling nearby
- townspeopleMunicipal area inhabitants
- localsArea's permanent inhabitants
- villagersInhabitants of small settlements
- congregationAssembled group of worshippers
parishioners · residents · citizens · members · fellowship · gathering · assembly · collective
Practical and without pretension
- salt-of-the-earthFundamentally good, dependable person
- ordinaryStandard, unremarkable
- everydayOccurring each day
- commonWidespread and unremarkable
humble · unpretentious · simple · plain · working-class · grassroots · regular · wholesome
parents
Mother and father
- relativesThose connected by blood
- kinfolkFamily members collectively
- ancestorsThose from whom one descends
grandparents · elders · clan · lineage · heritage · bloodline · descendants · siblings · cousins · nephews
people
Humans as a group
pals · friends · gang · crew · mates · neighbors · crowd · guys · peeps · homies
neighbors
Those dwelling nearby
- townspeopleMunicipal area inhabitants
- localsArea's permanent inhabitants
- villagersInhabitants of small settlements
congregation · parishioners · residents · citizens · members · fellowship · gathering · assembly · collective · network
down-to-earth
Practical and without pretension
- salt-of-the-earthFundamentally good, dependable person
- ordinaryStandard, unremarkable
- everydayOccurring each day
common · humble · unpretentious · simple · plain · working-class · grassroots · regular · wholesome · genuine
- peoplepeople, persons, person, individuals, humans
- Southern dialecty'all, fixin to, bless your heart, reckon, howdy
- familymother, father, parents, siblings, parent
- people typesfriend, stranger, neighbor, enemy, buddy
- direct addressvocative, apostrophe, O, hail, hey
- family rolesmother, father, mom, dad, parents
folksstrangers
People unknown to you
outsiders · foreigners · aliens · interlopers · unknowns
folksindividuals
Separate, distinct people
persons · personnel · constituents · citizenry · populace
folksthem
Third-person plural object
opponents · enemies · adversaries · foes · antagonists
- folk guitarUnplugged stringed instrument for traditional music
- old folksAged members of community
- rural folkNon-urban population
- folk taleTraditional oral narrative
- folk songTraditional community music
- folk musicCommunity-born acoustic songs
folk, folklore, folksy, folkloric, folkie, folksong, folklorist, folksiness, folksinger