privileged few
The chosen ones
The privileged few are a small group with advantages others lack—access to wealth, power, education, or opportunities unavailable to most.
The phrase often carries critical or resentful overtones, implying unfair exclusivity: Tax breaks for the privileged few while ordinary workers struggle.
It emphasizes both smallness of number and disparity of advantage.
- eliteSuperior select group
- upper crustSocial elite class
- exclusiveLimited to one group
- velvet ropeLuxurious crowd-control barrier
- wealthyHaving abundant financial resources
aristocracy · upper class · high society · inner circle · gated · country club · country club set · old boys club · old money · VIP · access · power · influence · glass ceiling · select · chosen · entitled · inherited
- eliteelite, elites, aristocrats, nobility, best
- inner circlesinner circle, inner ring, inner sanctum, in-group, ingroup
privileged fewthe masses
Common populace collectively
the common people · the poor · ordinary people · the working class · rank and file
privileged fewthe many
The general populace
everyone · the masses · general public · ordinary citizens · common folk
privileged fewthe poor
working poor · underclass · have-nots · common people · ordinary folk
privilege, privileges, privileged, privileging, underprivileged, fewest