dudes
(slang, as a collective noun) Any group of people, regardless of gender.
Etymology timeline
Born ~1860 · 1 year of recorded useSeen in the wild
I did that all the time! (Well, maybe not black socks and sandals!). Some people would do double takes, but if you go to the beach and a bunch of dudes are in bathing suits, what’s the difference?
Oh god. Those ppl are rich dudes who've got way more in common with Platner. They're not gonna drop him. It's also entirely possible he knew them when he was working in DC
it really is true what they say, dudes do indeed fucking rock
Eh, I am unconvinced of his commitment to the working class. He has always struck me as much more committed to white dudes who don’t want to work for The Man*, but doesn’t have the kind of work ethic** you need to bui…
If a guy (18?m) doesnt like your (17f) insta story does it mean hes not into u? cuz personally im very conscious of whos stuff i like idk about dudes tho?
Definitions
(slang, as a collective noun) Any group of people, regardless of gender.
“I did that all the time! (Well, maybe not black socks and sandals!). Some people would do double takes, but if you go to the beach and a bunch of dudes are in bathing suits, what’s the difference?”
“Oh god. Those ppl are rich dudes who've got way more in common with Platner. They're not gonna drop him. It's also entirely possible he knew them when he was working in DC”
“Eh, I am unconvinced of his commitment to the working class. He has always struck me as much more committed to white dudes who don’t want to work for The Man*, but doesn’t have the kind of work ethic** you need to build a blue collar small business***.”
“I did that all the time! (Well, maybe not black socks and sandals!). Some people would do double takes, but if you go to the beach and a bunch of dudes are in bathing suits, what’s the difference?”
— Bluesky· May 2026“Oh god. Those ppl are rich dudes who've got way more in common with Platner. They're not gonna drop him. It's also entirely possible he knew them when he was working in DC”
— Bluesky· May 2026“it really is true what they say, dudes do indeed fucking rock”
— Bluesky· May 2026“Eh, I am unconvinced of his commitment to the working class. He has always struck me as much more committed to white dudes who don’t want to work for The Man*, but doesn’t have the kind of work ethic** you need to build a blue collar small business***.”
— Bluesky· May 2026“If a guy (18?m) doesnt like your (17f) insta story does it mean hes not into u? cuz personally im very conscious of whos stuff i like idk about dudes tho?”
— r/NoStupidQuestions· May 2026
Comments
Show 1 more dictionary-style sense (imported)
Any group of people, regardless of gender.
"dudes" means: Any group of people, regardless of gender.. This is a fairly neutral word with no inherent risk attached. There is no real cause for parental concern; it is descriptive vocabulary rather than something dangerous. If your child uses it, context will usually make the meaning clear. A brief, curious question about where they heard it is generally enough to know whether to follow up.
"dudes" means: Any group of people, regardless of gender.. Register: neutral, standard English, usable in most everyday contexts. A common non-native mistake is to use the word in the wrong register, or to assume one fixed meaning when it is actually polysemous; always check the surrounding register and the audience before producing it yourself. In formal writing, prefer a neutral synonym or a short descriptive phrase, and use this word only when you have heard or read it being used naturally in a comparable context.
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