Uncle Sam

noun

Un·​cle Sam ˌəŋ-kəl-ˈsam How to pronounce Uncle Sam (audio)
1
: the U.S. government
2
: the American nation or people

Examples of Uncle Sam in a Sentence

Uncle Sam wants you to join the Army!
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
For everything else, including all that Armed Forces Bowl swag, Uncle Sam wants his share. Brendan Coffey, Sportico.com, 1 Jan. 2025 In these immensely enjoyable and unpredictable montages, Coover tries to capture the entirety of the 1950s, depicting the decade as a battle between Uncle Sam (the United States) and the Phantom (Soviet communism), one that is waged on a landscape of mass media and pop culture. Alexander Nazaryan, New York Times, 27 Dec. 2024 As America entered World War II, the daily beehive of activity at Michigan Central rebounded as Detroit’s automotive plants shifted on a dime from making cars to whatever Uncle Sam desired. Patrick Sauer, Smithsonian Magazine, 24 Dec. 2024 Days before the event, former President Donald Trump posted AI generated images of Swift dressed as Uncle Sam endorsing him for the White House. Bryan West, The Tennessean, 20 Dec. 2024 See all Example Sentences for Uncle Sam 

Word History

Etymology

expansion of U.S., abbreviation of United States

First Known Use

1810, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of Uncle Sam was in 1810

Dictionary Entries Near Uncle Sam

Cite this Entry

“Uncle Sam.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Uncle%20Sam. Accessed 8 Jan. 2025.

Kids Definition

Uncle Sam

noun
Un·​cle Sam ˌəŋ-kəl-ˈsam How to pronounce Uncle Sam (audio)
1
: the U.S. government thought of or represented as a person
2
: the American nation or people

More from Merriam-Webster on Uncle Sam

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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