wealthy

adjective

ˈwel-thē 

also ˈwelt-thē

wealthier; wealthiest

1

: having wealth : very affluent

2

: characterized by abundance : ample

wealthily

ˈwel-thə-lē 

adverb

wealthiness

ˈwel-thē-nəs 

noun

Synonyms of wealthy

• affluent
• rich

Choose the Right Synonym for wealthy

rich, wealthy, affluent, opulent mean having goods, property, and money in abundance.

rich implies having more than enough to gratify normal needs or desires.

became rich through shrewd investing

wealthy stresses the possession of property and intrinsically valuable things.

wealthy landowners

affluent suggests prosperity and an increasing wealth.

an affluent society

opulent suggests lavish expenditure and display of great wealth, more often applying to things than people.

an opulent mansion

Examples of wealthy in a Sentence

He is a wealthy entrepreneur.

the wealthiest nations in the world

Recent Examples on the Web

Often, wealthy investors use municipal bonds to diversify their portfolios while generating interest income that is often exempt from federal income taxes. — Luke Fountain, CNBC, 29 Sep. 2026

Bad schools foundered in part because there weren’t enough wealthy parents holding the institutions accountable. — Jay Caspian Kang, New Yorker, 29 Sep. 2026

The celebrated institution, attended by the children of aristocrats and wealthy families, has counted many British royals among its students since its founding in the 15th century. — Annabelle Dufraigne, Architectural Digest, 29 Sep. 2026

Proponents of the move argued that a high school GPA is a better factor in determining readiness than standardized testing that favors students with wealthy parents who can afford private tutors and test prep classes. — Andrew Khouri, Los Angeles Times, 29 Sep. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing wealthy

• the wealthy

Rhymes for wealthy

• healthy
• stealthy
• unhealthy

Kids Definition

wealthy

adjective

ˈwel-thē 

wealthier; wealthiest

1

: having wealth : rich

2

: marked by plenty : abundant

wealthiness

-thē-nəs 

noun