Society vs The public likes you

When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.

Society

Top 1,000 (very common)A2noun

The public likes you

Top 2,000 (common)
Most common: Society
 SocietyThe public likes you
Pronunciation🇬🇧 /["/səˈsaɪəti/"]/🇺🇸 /["/səˈsaɪəti/"]/🇬🇧 //ðə ˈpʌblɪk laɪks juː//🇺🇸 //ðə ˈpʌblɪk laɪks ju//
MeaningA group of people living together and sharing laws, customs, and values.People in general have a good opinion of you.
ExampleIn our society, we value education and hard work.During the debate, it's clear that the public likes you.
RegisterNeutralNeutral
How commonTop 1,000 (very common)Top 2,000 (common)
CEFR levelA2-
Part of speechnoun
Collocationslarger, wider, entire, build, create, change, be based on something, become, in (a) society, within (a) society, a cross-section of society, the fabric of society, the higher echelons of society, larger, wider, entire, build, create, change, be based on something, become, in (a) society, within (a) society, a cross-section of society, the fabric of society, the higher echelons of society, debating, drama, dramatic, belong to, become a member of, join, in a/​the society, society for, society of, larger, wider, entire, build, create, change, be based on something, become, in (a) society, within (a) society, a cross-section of society, the fabric of society, the higher echelons of societythe public opinion, appeal to the public, serve the public, the public interest, the general public
Antonymsisolation, individualism, seclusion-
Common mistakesConfused with 'community'; society is broader than a community., Using it as a verb, but it's only a noun., Mistaking it for 'sociality'; they have different meanings.Confused with 'public's opinion' (which is possessive)., Using 'the public' as a singular term instead of plural., Omitting 'the' before 'public' in formal contexts.
Usage notesUse 'society' when discussing large groups or communities. It's appropriate for academic and casual contexts, but avoid informal settings where the term may come off as too serious.Used when discussing general opinions or feelings about a person. Appropriate in formal and informal contexts.

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Society
The public likes you

Frequently asked questions: Society vs The public likes you

What's the difference between Society and The public likes you?

Society: A group of people living together and sharing laws, customs, and values. The public likes you: People in general have a good opinion of you.

Which is more common: Society and The public likes you?

Society is the most common in everyday English.

Can you show an example of each?

Society: In our society, we value education and hard work. The public likes you: During the debate, it's clear that the public likes you.

Can I use Society and The public likes you interchangeably?

Not always. Society and The public likes you are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.

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