ritzier; ritziest
1
: impressively or ostentatiously fancy or stylish : fashionable, posh
a ritzy nightclub
2
ritziness noun

Did you know?

César Ritz (1850-1918) earned worldwide renown for the luxurious hotels bearing his name in London and Paris. (The Ritz-Carlton hotel company is a contemporary descendant of these enterprises.) Although they were by no means the first to cater to high-end clients, Ritz’s hotels quickly earned reputations as symbols of opulence. F. Scott Fitzgerald, a writer who often focused on the fashionably wealthy, titled one of his short stories “The Diamond as Big as the Ritz,” and the phrase “to put on the ritz” means “to indulge in ostentatious display.” The adjective ritzy, describing either something fancy or stylish, or the haughty attitudes of the wealthy elite, first checked into the English language in 1919.

Examples of ritzy in a Sentence

I don't appreciate your ritzy advice about whom I “should” associate with.
Recent Examples on the Web Hilfiger hosted his ritzy Fall-Winter 2024 fashion show at Manhattan’s Grand Central Oyster Bar, which, as its name suggests, is tucked away amid the hallowed halls of Grand Central Station. Nick Remsen, CNN, 13 Feb. 2024 Located in Dubai’s ritzy One Za’abeel development, the Siro One Za’abeel offers a new type of guest experience centered around fitness and recovery. Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 13 Feb. 2024 Calling all last-minute gift givers, here’s a selection of luxury lace lingerie—from bras that feature ritzy 24k gold to cheeky cut-out knickers, spoil your loved one with these plush coordinating pieces. Felicity Carter, Forbes, 12 Feb. 2024 The average home value in Naples is close to $600,000, while its ritzy Port Royal neighborhood, with just 10,000 residents, has a median home sale price of slightly more than $9 million. Byalena Botros, Fortune, 12 Feb. 2024 Located on ritzy Fifth Avenue by the southeast corner of 56th Street, the site spans some 115,000 square feet and includes several multi-level retail spaces. Demetrius Simms, Robb Report, 23 Jan. 2024 Improve this map Half Moon Bay ritzy play The cliffside location of the Ritz-Carlton, Half Moon Bay, with the public coastline trail at its edge and dining adventures at Navio, are reason enough to save up for a stay. Amber Turpin, The Mercury News, 22 Jan. 2024 McKenzie also lent LaPierre his yacht on multiple occasions and paid for LaPierre’s stay at a ritzy resort while McKenzie and his family, in return, received expensive gifts. Barnini Chakraborty, Washington Examiner, 9 Jan. 2024 Threat #2: Skills-based hiring Nothing strikes fear in the hearts of tony Ivy League graduates like the thought that networking connections and ritzy diplomas will soon hold little weight in hiring managers’ eyes. Jane Thier, Fortune, 23 Dec. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'ritzy.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Ritz hotels, noted for their opulence

First Known Use

1919, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of ritzy was in 1919

Podcast

Dictionary Entries Near ritzy

Cite this Entry

“Ritzy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ritzy. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

ritzy

adjective
ritzier; ritziest
1
: very fashionable
2
Etymology

from Ritz, name of a group of elegant hotels

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!