riffraff

noun

riff·​raff ˈrif-ˌraf 

1

a

: disreputable persons

b

: rabble

c

: one of the riffraff

2

: refuse, rubbish

riffraff adjective

Synonyms

• debris
• garbage
• trash
• dust
• junk
• rubbish
• litter
• sewage
• effluvia

Examples of riffraff in a Sentence

Try not to associate with that riffraff.

the sight of piles and piles of riffraff at the town dump was a sobering reminder that we are indeed a society of consumers

Recent Examples on the Web

Sometimes Evie imagined the land, the world, the city around her as a cartoon neighborhood, the houses’ edges elastic like balloons, their walls filling up and bloating and then, all at once, popping: ejecting out the riffraff and trash in a huff. —Literary Hub, 5 Aug. 2025

The first half of the film finds our riffraff joining forces to escape Valentina’s death trap; the second is a parable about mental illness where the metaphors take command over the plot. —Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 1 May 2025

Cathedrals were beautifying public icons that often served the poor; yachts are designed to hide their splendors from the prying eyes of the riffraff. —Brian Klaas, The Atlantic, 7 Feb. 2025

Lawyers, journalists and similar riffraff congregated at lunch or after work, and Vincent worked the room, table-hopping with jokes or movie reviews or tales from his latest intriguing trip. —Neal Rubin, Detroit Free Press, 8 Sep. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English ryffe raffe, from rif and raf every single one, from Anglo-French rif e raf altogether

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Rhymes for riffraff

• behalf
• carafe
• digraph
• distaff
• falstaff
• giraffe
• subgraph
• autograph
• biograph
• cenotaph
• chronograph
• epigraph

Kids Definition

riffraff

noun

riff·​raff ˈrif-ˌraf 

1

: a class of people who are looked down upon : rabble

2

: rubbish

riffraff adjective