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.
Uncle Sam is going to need to raise some money. Annie Lowrey, The Atlantic, 28 Apr. 2026 Because Uncle Sam has dulled the economic incentive to create the next breakthrough. Elaine Parker, Oc Register, 24 Apr. 2026 Adopting what is usually considered a progressive stance, the world’s richest man said Uncle Sam should write fat checks to Americans to keep us living large even if platforms like Chat GPT, Claude and his own Grok spawn a torrent of pink slips. Dave Goldiner, New York Daily News, 17 Apr. 2026 Born on July 5, Cody loved the Fourth of July, which was his favorite holiday, and even dressed as Uncle Sam one Halloween. Wendy Grossman Kantor, PEOPLE, 16 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for Uncle Sam

Word History

Etymology

expansion of U.S., abbreviation of United States

First Known Use

1803, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of Uncle Sam was in 1803

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Uncle Sam.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Uncle%20Sam. Accessed 3 May. 2026.

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

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