wealthy

1 of 2

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

wealthiness

2 of 2

noun

wealth·​i·​ness -thēnə̇s 

-thin-

plural -es

: the quality or state of being wealthy : richness, opulence

Synonyms of wealthy

Adjective

• 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

Adjective

He is a wealthy entrepreneur.

the wealthiest nations in the world

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

While advocates of the tax emphasize that billionaires' fortunes are growing much faster than the income of ordinary Americans, opponents argue the state could face a revenue shortfall if California's wealthiest residents leave for other states. —Tim Fang, CBS News, 11 June 2026

Related Stories With the SpaceX IPO, Musk — already the world’s wealthiest individual — is poised to capture trillionaire status. —Todd Spangler, Variety, 11 June 2026

Today, however, the Gulf is no longer merely a collection of wealthy energy exporters. —Judah Taub, semafor.com, 11 June 2026

The government document, which was confirmed as accurate by the two officials, said moving the woman from Pitcairn eventually was arranged via the Titaina Explorer trimaran yacht owned by a wealthy Frenchman, who uses it for personal exploration in the South Pacific. —Matthew Lee, Los Angeles Times, 11 June 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

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