man on the street
Ordinary everyday person
Man on the street refers to an ordinary person, especially as representing typical public opinion.
News reporters interview the man on the street to gauge how average citizens feel about events.
The phrase suggests someone without special expertise or insider knowledge—just a regular member of the public.
Also man in the street or, more inclusively, person on the street.
- laymanOrdinary untrained person
- John Q. PublicHypothetical average citizen
- Joe SixpackStereotypical common man
- commonerNon-noble person
- plain folksOrdinary, unpretentious individuals
everyday people · salt of the earth · vox populi · average Joe · regular guy · everyman · pedestrian · eyewitness · ordinary · polling · citizen · passerby · layperson · bystander · soundbite · interviews · public sentiment · townsfolk
- Everymanaverage Joe, everyman, common man, regular Joe, regular guy
- comedy bitsbit, skit, sketch, gag, shtick
- placeholder peopleJohn Doe, Jane Doe, average Joe, everyman, Alice
- peoplepeople, persons, person, individuals, humans
- talk showstalk shows, late night, late-night, guest host, panel show
man on the streetexpert
Highly skilled practitioner
specialist · authority · professional · pundit · connoisseur
man on the streetinsider
One with confidential access
elite · power broker · decision maker · mover and shaker · VIP
man on the streetcelebrity
Widely recognized public figure
public figure · VIP · household name · notable · luminary
street, streets, manliness, manhood, mankind, manful, unmanned, streetwise