privates

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

What, Henry asks, “have kings, that privates have not too, save ceremony, save general ceremony?”

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 9, 2026

Aircraft engineers can get £30,000 if they sign up for a further three years, with privates and lance corporals eligible for £8,000 for four years.

From BBC • Jun. 21, 2025

They’re going to put aspartame in this possibly-causing-cancer category, along with, oh, putting talcum powder on your privates, or working in a dry cleaner.

From Slate • Jun. 29, 2023

For years, the world of privates was dominated by aging crooners, a category known delicately as “nostalgia performers.”

From New York Times • May 30, 2023

In the dooryard their horses were held by two privates.

From "East of Eden" by John Steinbeck