rakish

adjective

ˈrā-kish How to pronounce rakish (audio)
Definition of rakishnext
as in corrupt
having or showing lowered moral character or standards within a few short years their rakish son had squandered the family fortune on hard liquor and fast cars

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of rakish With his rakish sneer and ruthlessly tight jodhpurs, Rupert has been thoroughly neutered with irony, transformed into an object for women to pick at. — Sophie Gilbert, The Atlantic, 10 June 2026 His most famous early picture, of three rakish young farmers walking to a country dance in new hats, stiff suits, and too-big shoes, couldn’t have been a commission. — Max Norman, New Yorker, 21 May 2026 Nine years younger than Hepburn, Dotti was the fun-loving, rakish son of an aristocratic Italian family. — Hadley Hall Meares, Vanity Fair, 15 May 2026 Will the rakish Benedict Bridgerton find his perfect match? — Olivia Wakim, AJC.com, 24 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for rakish
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rakish
  1. corrupt
  2. degraded
  3. sick
  4. dissolute
  5. crooked
  6. decadent
Adjective
  • Some explicitly backed his Democratic opponent, the legendarily corrupt Edwin Edwards.
    — James Kirchick, The Atlantic, 21 July 2026
  • According to some research, Hungary has been the most corrupt country in the EU for years now.
    — Tax Notes Staff, Forbes.com, 21 July 2026
Definition of corrupt
Adjective
  • Funding is also a problem, as the severely degraded local health system in eastern Congo, as well as NGOs, struggles to cope as Ebola spreads in remote rural areas.
    — Emmet Livingstone, NPR, 23 July 2026
  • Experts warn this serves as an early indicator for global food systems, stressing that degraded ecosystems worsen climate shocks.
    — Jamie Hailstone, Forbes.com, 22 July 2026
Definition of degraded
Adjective
  • Our founder has spent his career advocating for a shift from sick care to true health creation.
    — Billee Howard, Forbes.com, 26 July 2026
  • Officials recommended wearing masks in crowded indoor settings, staying current on vaccinations, testing for the virus and remaining home when sick.
    — Grant Stringer, Mercury News, 25 July 2026
Definition of sick
Adjective
  • His untimely death set the template for the doomed, dissolute musician.
    — David A. Graham, The Atlantic, 2 July 2026
  • First filmed before the pandemic and launched in its throes, a survivor of the era of streaming wars, corporate consolidation and Hollywood strikes, HBO’s addictively dissolute workplace drama remains as ambitious and authoritative as ever.
    — Matt Brennan, Los Angeles Times, 15 June 2026
Definition of dissolute
Adjective
  • Resurrection Dex’s Resurrection is an uncomfortably honest and self-critical mixtape about the British rapper attempting to reform his crooked ways.
    — Alphonse Pierre, Pitchfork, 17 July 2026
  • Whitehead, meanwhile, crystalizes his sense of what makes the city run, where Carney fits in, and how the straight and crooked worlds are entwined in one strange ecosystem with laws that only the lawless can enforce.
    — David Hajdu, The Atlantic, 16 July 2026
Definition of crooked
Adjective
  • Featuring the perfect balance of cookie and vanilla ice cream, these sandwiches are rolled in mini, semi-sweet chocolate chips for an extra decadent touch.
    — Michele Laufik, Martha Stewart, 22 July 2026
  • Renowned interior designer Martin Brudnizki’s maximalist design aesthetic includes playful glass chandeliers, floral wallpaper, and decadent velvet couches.
    — Maya Kachroo-Levine, Travel + Leisure, 22 July 2026
Definition of decadent

Browse Nearby Words

raking up
rakish
rakishness
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Cite this Entry

“Rakish.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rakish. Accessed 31 Jul. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of rakish for Spanish Speakers

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