Collective Nouns for People
English is full of surprises and collective nouns are among the most charming! These are special words used to refer to a group of people as a single entity. They bring color, clarity, and creativity to the language.
Whether it’s a class of students, a band of musicians, or a panel of judges, collective nouns help us describe groups with precision and flair.
What Are Collective Nouns for People?
A collective noun for people is a word that represents a group of individuals acting as one.
- Profession
- Activity
- Social role
- Behavior
List of Collective Nouns for People
| Collective Noun | Group Described | Example Sentence |
|---|---|---|
| A board of directors | Corporate leaders | The board of directors voted on the new merger. |
| A body of men | Men (formal/general) | A body of men assembled to discuss the village’s needs. |
| A bunch of crooks | Criminals | A bunch of crooks was arrested after the heist. |
| A caravan of gypsies | Travelers (Romani) | A caravan of gypsies set up camp near the river. |
| A choir of singers | Singers | The choir of singers performed at the cathedral. |
| A company of actors | Actors | A company of actors rehearsed for the Shakespeare play. |
| A crew of sailors | Sailors | The crew of sailors navigated through the storm. |
| A gang of prisoners | Prisoners | A gang of prisoners staged a breakout at midnight. |
| A group of dancers | Dancers | A group of dancers practiced their routine on stage. |
| A horde of savages | Tribal warriors (archaic) | The explorers feared a horde of savages in the jungle. |
| A line of kings | Monarchs | The tapestry depicted a line of kings from history. |
| A mob of rioters | Rioters | A mob of rioters clashed with the police downtown. |
| A pack of thieves | Thieves | A pack of thieves targeted the jewelry store. |
| A party of friends | Friends | A party of friends celebrated at the beach house. |
| A patrol of policemen | Police officers | A patrol of policemen secured the protest area. |
| A posse of policemen | Police (Western context) | The sheriff led a posse of policemen to catch the outlaw. |
| A staff of employees | Employees | The staff of employees received year-end bonuses. |
| A team of players | Sports players | A team of players celebrated their championship win. |
| A tribe of natives | Indigenous people | A tribe of natives shared their customs with visitors. |
| A troop of scouts | Scouts | A troop of scouts set up tents in the forest. |
| A troupe of artistes | Performers (circus/vaudeville) | A troupe of artistes entertained the crowd with acrobatics. |
| An illusion of magicians | Magicians | An illusion of magicians dazzled the audience with tricks. |
| A tribe of Arabs | Arab people | A tribe of Arabs welcomed the travelers with tea. |
| A host of angels | Angels (religious) | The painting showed a host of angels surrounding the saint. |
| A crowd of people | General public | A crowd of people gathered for the concert. |
| A gang of thieves | Thieves | The gang of thieves vanished into the alleyways. |
| A bench of magistrates | Judges | A bench of magistrates presided over the court case. |
| A band of musicians | Musicians | A band of musicians played jazz late into the night. |
| A regiment of soldiers | Soldiers | A regiment of soldiers marched in the parade. |
| A dynasty of kings | Royal lineage | The dynasty of kings ruled for over three centuries. |
| A squad of soldiers | Soldiers (small unit) | A squad of soldiers was deployed to the border. |
| A conference of delegates | Delegates | A conference of delegates debated the new policies. |
| A staff of officials | Government officials | A staff of officials managed the emergency response. |
| A class of students | Students | A class of students dissected frogs in biology lab. |
| A congregation of worshippers | Religious attendees | The congregation of worshippers sang hymns together. |
| A troupe of dancers | Dancers | A troupe of dancers performed a traditional folk dance. |
| A house of senators | Senators | The house of senators passed the controversial bill. |
| A panel of experts | Experts | A panel of experts discussed climate change solutions. |
| A team of athletes | Athletes | A team of athletes trained for the Olympics. |
| A bevy of ladies | Women (elegant) | A bevy of ladies attended the high tea social. |
| An audience of listeners | Listeners | An audience of listeners called in to the radio show. |
| A syndicate of merchants | Merchants | A syndicate of merchants controlled the spice trade. |
| A draught of butlers | Butlers | The mansion employed a draught of butlers for the banquet. |
| A cohort of guests | Guests | A cohort of guests arrived at the wedding venue. |
| A lying of pardoners | Medieval pardoners | A lying of pardoners sold indulgences in the marketplace. |
| A posse of sheriffs | Sheriffs | A posse of sheriffs tracked the fugitive across the desert. |
| A class of pupils | Schoolchildren | A class of pupils built volcanoes for the science fair. |
| A flock of tourists | Tourists | A flock of tourists crowded the famous landmark. |
| A faculty of teachers | Teachers | The faculty of teachers voted on the new curriculum. |
| A billow of smokers | Smokers | A billow of smokers huddled outside the office building. |
| A choir of singers | Singers | The choir of singers harmonized perfectly. |
| A team of doctors | Doctors | A team of doctors worked through the night in the ER. |
| A slate of candidates | Political candidates | A slate of candidates debated before the election. |
| A crowd of spectators | Spectators | A crowd of spectators cheered at the football match. |
| A bevy of girls | Girls | A bevy of girls giggled at the sleepover. |
| A relay of runners | Runners | A relay of runners passed the baton smoothly. |
| A regiment of soldiers | Soldiers | The regiment of soldiers defended the fortress bravely. |
| A troupe of performers | Performers | A troupe of performers staged a circus under the big top. |
| A herd of wrens | Wrens (archaic/jocular) | A herd of wrens flitted through the garden. |
| A platoon of soldiers | Soldiers (small unit) | A platoon of soldiers secured the village. |
| A party of politicians | Politicians | A party of politicians argued over the budget. |
| A faculty of professors | Professors | The faculty of professors published groundbreaking research. |
| A communion of saints | Saints (religious) | The stained glass depicted a communion of saints. |
| A constituency of voters | Voters | The candidate addressed a constituency of voters. |
| A bridge of admirals | Admirals | A bridge of admirals strategized the naval defense. |
| A school of pupils | Pupils | A school of pupils visited the museum on a field trip. |
| A host of friends | Friends | A host of friends gathered for the reunion. |
| A gang of laborers | Laborers | A gang of laborers repaired the railroad tracks. |
| A den of thieves | Thieves | The police raided a den of thieves in the warehouse. |
| A cavalcade of horsemen | Horsemen | A cavalcade of horsemen rode through the medieval town. |
| A huddle of lawyers | Lawyers | A huddle of lawyers reviewed the case files intently. |
| A staff of teachers | Teachers | The staff of teachers attended a professional workshop. |
| A mass of Catholics | Catholics (religious) | A mass of Catholics gathered for the papal visit. |
| A mob of gangsters | Gangsters | A mob of gangsters controlled the underground casinos. |
| A panel of judges | Judges | A panel of judges deliberated on the competition entries. |
| A troupe of artists | Artists | A troupe of artists painted murals across the city. |
| A staff of servants | Servants | The manor employed a staff of servants for daily upkeep. |
| A coven of witches | Witches | A coven of witches performed rituals under the full moon. |
| A cruft of hackers | Hackers (tech slang) | A cruft of hackers competed in the cybersecurity challenge. |
| A team of scientists | Scientists | A team of scientists discovered a new species. |
| An army of soldiers | Soldiers | An army of soldiers was deployed to the conflict zone. |
| A pack of friends | Friends (casual) | A pack of friends went hiking over the weekend. |
| A posse of cowboys | Cowboys | A posse of cowboys chased the cattle rustlers. |
| A squad of police | Police officers | A squad of police cordoned off the crime scene. |
| A herd of shoppers | Shoppers | A herd of shoppers rushed the store on Black Friday. |
| A swarm of party-goers | Party attendees | A swarm of party-goers spilled into the street at midnight. |
| A gaggle of gossips | Gossips | A gaggle of gossips whispered at the café. |
| A legion of volunteers | Volunteers | A legion of volunteers helped rebuild after the hurricane. |
| A horde of invaders | Invaders | A horde of invaders stormed the castle gates. |
| A band of robbers | Robbers | A band of robbers hid in the forest. |
| A crew of film-makers | Film crew | A crew of film-makers shot scenes on location. |
| A pen of writers | Writers | A pen of writers collaborated on the anthology. |
| A cast of actors | Actors | The cast of actors took their final bow. |
| A brigade of chefs | Chefs | A brigade of chefs prepared the banquet feast. |
| A heap of rubbish collectors | Garbage collectors | A heap of rubbish collectors cleared the streets after the festival. |
Common Collective Nouns for People with Examples
| Group Type | Collective Noun | Example Sentence |
|---|---|---|
| Students | A class | A class of students listened carefully. |
| Musicians | A band / orchestra | A band of musicians performed live. |
| Actors | A cast | The cast of actors took a bow. |
| Soldiers | An army | An army of soldiers marched ahead. |
| Sailors | A crew | A crew of sailors worked together. |
| Employees | A staff / team | The staff of the company attended the meeting. |
| Judges | A panel | A panel of judges reviewed the entries. |
| Experts | A committee | A committee of experts discussed the issue. |
| Teachers | A faculty | The faculty of teachers met after school. |
| Singers | A choir | A choir of singers sang harmoniously. |
| Dancers | A troupe | A troupe of dancers entertained the audience. |
| Politicians | A parliament | A parliament of politicians debated the law. |
| Criminals | A gang | A gang of robbers fled the scene. |
| Friends | A circle / group | A circle of friends gathered for lunch. |
| Tourists | A group | A group of tourists arrived at the museum. |
| Protesters | A mob / crowd | A mob of protesters filled the street. |
| Worshippers | A congregation | A congregation of worshippers gathered to pray. |
| Workers | A workforce | The workforce was mobilized for the project. |
| Delegates | A delegation | A delegation of representatives attended the summit. |
| Athletes | A team | A team of athletes trained hard for the match. |
Fun & Rare Collective Nouns for People
| Profession/Type | Collective Noun |
|---|---|
| Authors | A worship of writers |
| Lawyers | An eloquence of lawyers |
| Diplomats | A tact of diplomats |
| Clowns | A giggle of clowns |
| Bakers | A batch of bakers |
| Managers | A confusion of managers |
| Artists | A palette of artists |
| Barbers | A shave of barbers |
| Models | A pose of models |
Collective nouns for people aren’t just grammatical tools they make English rich, expressive, and fun. Whether you’re a student, writer, or language enthusiast, mastering these terms enhances your fluency and sharpens your communication.
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