# man on the street

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/man-on-the-street
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

An ordinary member of the general public, especially one who lacks special expertise.

## Examples

- The reporter asked the man on the street about the new tax law.
- To understand how the policy affects families, the journalist interviewed the man on the street for his honest opinion.
- While experts debated the technical complexities of the economic reform, the newspaper sought the perspective of the man on the street to gauge the actual impact on daily life.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.