Meaning & use
placard
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Meaning
nouncountable
A large sign, often carried in a protest or displayed in public, with a message on it.
Grammar: Countable: a placard, two placards. Often used with verbs like carry, hold, or wave.
Patterns
- carry a placard
- hold up a placard
- a protest placard
The protesters carried placards with slogans.
She held up a placard that read 'Save our library'.
The placards were placed along the street.
Word forms
| plural | placards |
|---|
Common combinations
- carry a placard
- Hundreds of people carried placards through the city center.
- hold up a placard
- He held up a placard so the cameras could see it.
- protest placard
- The protest placards were made from cardboard and paint.
- placard with a message
- Each placard had a different message about climate change.
Synonyms and how they differ
- sign
- A general word for any notice or board with information; a placard is usually larger and meant to be seen by many people, often in a protest.
- banner
- A long piece of cloth or paper with a message, often carried by two people; a placard is usually a stiff board held by one person.
- poster
- A large printed picture or notice put on a wall; a placard is typically held or displayed in public, not attached to a wall.
Commonly confused: placard or plaque?
placard vs plaque
A plaque is a flat piece of metal or stone with a name or information, often fixed to a wall. A placard is a sign you carry or display, often in a protest.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'placard' correctly?
Choose one answer.
A placard is a large sign with a message, so it makes sense to carry placards with messages. The other options use 'placard' in unrelated or illogical ways.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “placard”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.