rack

1 of 9

noun (1)

ˈrak 

1

: a framework, stand, or grating on or in which articles are placed

2

: an instrument of torture on which a body is stretched

3

a(1)

: a cause of anguish or pain

(2)

: acute suffering

b

: the action of straining or wrenching

4

a

: a bar with teeth on one face for gearing with a pinion or worm gear to transform rotary motion to linear motion or vice versa (as in an automobile steering mechanism)

b

: a notched bar used as a ratchet to engage with a pawl, click, or detent

5

: a pair of antlers

6

: bed, sack

7

: a triangular frame used to set up the balls in a pool game

also : the balls as set up

8

: a framework for holding fodder for livestock

rackful

ˈrak-ˌfu̇l 

noun

rack

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verb (1)

racked; racking; racks

transitive verb

1

: to cause to suffer torture, pain, anguish, or ruin

2

: to place (balls, such as pool balls) in a rack

3

a

: to stretch or strain violently

b

: to raise (rents) oppressively

c

: to harass or oppress with high rents or extortions

4

: to torture on the rack

5

: to work or treat (material) on a rack

6

: to work by a rack and pinion or worm so as to extend or contract

rack a camera

7

: to seize (ropes, such as parallel ropes of a tackle) together

intransitive verb

: to become forced out of shape or out of plumb

racker noun

rackingly

ˈra-kiŋ-lē 

adverb

rack

3 of 9

noun (2)

1

: the rib section of a lamb's forequarters used for chops or as a roast see lamb illustration

2

: the neck and spine of a forequarter of veal, pork, or especially mutton

rack

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noun (3)

: destruction

rack and ruin

rack

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noun (4)

: either of two gaits of a horse:

a

: pace sense 4b

b

: a fast showy 4-beat gait similar to the pace but in which the feet of the same side do not touch down at the same time

rack

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verb (2)

racked; racking; racks

intransitive verb

of a horse

: to go at a rack

rack

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noun (5)

: a wind-driven mass of high often broken clouds

rack

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verb (3)

racked; racking; racks

intransitive verb

: to fly or scud in high wind

rack

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verb (4)

racked; racking; racks

transitive verb

: to draw off (wine) from the lees

Phrases

on the rack

: under great emotional stress

Frequently Asked Questions

Do you rack or wrack your brain?

Wrack and rack are etymologically distinct, meaning they come from different words. Many usage guides will advise that you should use wrack for meanings such as "to utterly ruin," and rack for "to cause to suffer torture, pain, anguish, or ruin." If you follow this advice, the proper choice for what you do to your brain when thinking very hard is rack. However, wrack has long been used as a variant of rack, and numerous fine writers have avowedly wracked their brains or found something nerve-wracking.

Is it racked or wracked with pain?

Some guides feel that "racked with pain" is the preferable choice, although wrack is in many cases an acceptable variant. The verbs are often conflated despite their very different origins (the former from Middle Dutch rekken, meaning "to stretch," and the latter from the Middle English word for shipwreck, wrak).

"Do you rack up or wrack up debts?"

While there are a number of settings in which wrack is considered an acceptable variant of rack, the accumulation of debts is not one of them. In this context rack up typically means "to achieve, score; to accumulate."

Synonyms

Noun (5)

• bed
• couch
• bunk

Verb (3)

• plague
• persecute
• torture
• afflict
• attack

Choose the Right Synonym for rack

afflict, try, torment, torture, rack mean to inflict on a person something that is hard to bear.

afflict is a general term and applies to the causing of pain or suffering or of acute annoyance, embarrassment, or any distress.

ills that afflict the elderly

try suggests imposing something that strains the powers of endurance or of self-control.

children often try their parents' patience

torment suggests persecution or the repeated inflicting of suffering or annoyance.

a horse tormented by flies

torture adds the implication of causing unbearable pain or suffering.

tortured by a sense of guilt

rack stresses straining or wrenching.

a body racked by pain

Examples of rack in a Sentence

Noun (5)

the clock struck midnight, signaling that it was time to hit the rack

suffering the rack of a sprained ankle, the climber had to make his way back down the mountain to camp

felt the rack of regret after losing her temper with her teenagers

Verb (3)

the young man was racked with guilt over the lie he had told to his parents

the country has been racked by years of civil war

she racked her brain trying to remember where she'd put the money

the sails of the boat were racked by the storm's winds

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

For mains, there’s a 12-ounce ribeye with royal oyster mushrooms, peppercorn sauce and golden hasselback potatoes ($48); a lamb rack glazed with spicy gochujang and chimichurri ($39); and roasted Atlantic salmon with baby carrots, asparagus and tarragon beurre blanc ($28). —Phillip Valys, Sun Sentinel, 26 June 2025

Instead of running the dryer, take advantage of the weather by drying your clothes outdoors on a clothing line or inside on a drying rack. —Claire Hoppe Norgaard, Better Homes & Gardens, 25 June 2025

Verb

And the auction part of Saturday evening was to thank for racking in hundreds of thousands of dollars for the children’s hospital. —Joseph Hernandez, Kansas City Star, 1 June 2025

Pakistan has been racked by political polarization since the ouster in 2022 of Prime Minister Imran Khan — whose rise and fall were both believed to be supported by military generals — and his subsequent imprisonment. —Zia Ur-Rehman, New York Times, 16 May 2025

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Middle English, probably from Middle Dutch rec framework; akin to Old English reccan to stretch, Greek oregein — more at right

Noun (2)

perhaps from rack entry 1

Noun (3)

alteration of wrack

Verb (2)

probably alteration of rock entry 1

Noun (5)

Middle English rak rain cloud, rapid movement

Verb (4)

Middle English rakken, from Old French (Norman & Picard dialect) reequier, probably from Late Latin reaedificare to rebuild, repair, improve, from Latin re- + aedificare to build — more at edify

First Known Use

Noun (1)

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 8

Verb (1)

15th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 4

Noun (2)

1570, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Noun (3)

1592, in the meaning defined above

Noun (4)

1580, in the meaning defined above

Verb (2)

1530, in the meaning defined above

Noun (5)

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Verb (3)

1590, in the meaning defined above

Verb (4)

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing rack

• dish rack
• fly off the rack
• go to rack and ruin
• luggage rack
• off-the-rack
• rack one's brain
• rack railway
• rack rent
• rack-renter
• rack up
• re-rack
• roof rack
• spice rack
• the rack
• towel rack

Rhymes for rack

• ack
• brack
• clack
• crack
• dak
• flack
• flak
• hack
• jack
• knack
• lac
• lack

Kids Definition

rack

1 of 4 noun

ˈrak 

1

: a framework for holding fodder for livestock

2

: an instrument of torture on which a body is stretched

3

: a framework or stand on or in which articles are placed

hat rack

bicycle rack

4

: a bar with teeth on one side for fitting together with those of a pinion

5

: a pair of antlers

rack

2 of 4 verb

1

: to cause to suffer torture, pain, sorrow, or ruin

racked by a cough

2

: to stretch or strain violently

racked his brains for the answer

3

: to place (as pool balls) in a rack

rack

3 of 4 noun

: either of two gaits of a horse:

a

: pace sense 2b

b

: a fast showy gait similar to the pace but in which the feet of the same side do not touch down at the same time

rack

4 of 4 noun

: a cut of meat from a lamb or pig that includes some of the rib section