rack 1 of 2

Definition of racknext

rack

2 of 2

verb

Synonym Chooser

How is the word rack different from other verbs like it?

Some common synonyms of rack are afflict, torment, torture, and try. While all these words mean "to inflict on a person something that is hard to bear," rack stresses straining or wrenching.

a body racked by pain

When would afflict be a good substitute for rack?

Although the words afflict and rack have much in common, 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

When is it sensible to use torment instead of rack?

The meanings of torment and rack largely overlap; however, torment suggests persecution or the repeated inflicting of suffering or annoyance.

a horse tormented by flies

Where would torture be a reasonable alternative to rack?

The words torture and rack can be used in similar contexts, but torture adds the implication of causing unbearable pain or suffering.

tortured by a sense of guilt

When is try a more appropriate choice than rack?

The words try and rack are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, try suggests imposing something that strains the powers of endurance or of self-control.

children often try their parents' patience

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 rack
Noun
Hang Clothes to Dry Drying racks are convenient to have but often bothersome to store when they’re not being used. Mary Cornetta, Better Homes & Gardens, 30 Apr. 2026 Nearby is a wine room with stone finishes, custom racks and glass display cabinetry. Charlotte Observer, 29 Apr. 2026
Verb
On audio, a pump-action shotgun can be heard being racked. Nick Penzenstadler, USA Today, 19 Apr. 2026 How did the virulent nationalism and fraught politics of France’s interwar period—no less racked by crisis than its nuclear-era dénouement—inform the artist’s approach to figure and form? Ara H. Merjian, ARTnews.com, 16 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for rack
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rack
Noun
  • Few county shelters have kennels, and people sleeping outside are often hesitant to abandon their pets just to sleep in a bed for a few nights.
    Max Klaver, Miami Herald, 6 May 2026
  • It can be spread between people, though this is rare and only through close contact such as by sharing a bed or food, experts say.
    ABC News, ABC News, 6 May 2026
Noun
  • That said, debt settlement can be a legitimate option, particularly for those who are already in severe financial distress, have accounts that have already gone to collections or are weighing bankruptcy as the alternative.
    Angelica Leicht, CBS News, 6 May 2026
  • Hantavirus is an illness carried by rodents that can spread to humans and cause acute respiratory distress.
    Jessica Puckett, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 May 2026
Verb
  • Rumors of affairs plague all royals, even those no longer with us.
    Lizzie Lanuza, StyleCaster, 2 May 2026
  • The document outlines steps to address failures in the agency’s affordable housing programs and financial reporting that have plagued the agency since 2019.
    R.A. Schuetz, Houston Chronicle, 1 May 2026
Verb
  • As the Moon moves into Sagittarius, your 12th House of Reflection becomes more active, pulling you inward to process before acting.
    Tarot.com, Hartford Courant, 3 May 2026
  • The combination creates a vortex effect, which pulls hot ash, embers and debris into a spinning column.
    Blanca Begert, Los Angeles Times, 3 May 2026
Noun
  • The doorbell rang, and two more girls arrived, piling onto the couch.
    Anna Wiener, New Yorker, 4 May 2026
  • But sports fans are missing out by refusing to adopt a rooting interest during those postseasons when the home team’s players are sitting on the couch eating Cheetos and watching on TV just like us.
    Greg Cote May 4, Miami Herald, 4 May 2026
Noun
  • Police said the victim sustained visible injuries to his hand and reported additional pain and possible scrapes to his shin.
    Stepheny Price , Jasmine Baehr, FOXNews.com, 2 May 2026
  • But climbing costs are causing pain at the pump for some Americans already struggling to afford their bills.
    Michael Loria, USA Today, 2 May 2026
Verb
  • Individuals with Jewish heritage through their father or a grandparent sometimes identified as Jewish or were persecuted for their Jewish heritage, as was the case under the Nazi regime.
    Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 30 Apr. 2026
  • Walker, however, agreed with the majority that the president cannot deport migrants to countries where they will be persecuted or strip them of mandatory procedures that protect against their removal.
    Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 25 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • Ken Smith, an AT&T incident commander, pointed to the vehicles painted in AT&T’s bright blue—the display included trailers outfitted to accommodate kitchens, bunks, and showers—and the smaller array of vehicles in FirstNet black, most sprouting satellite receivers.
    Rob Pegoraro, PC Magazine, 1 May 2026
  • Comey, of course, calls that bunk.
    Chris Brennan, USA Today, 30 Apr. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Rack.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rack. Accessed 9 May. 2026.

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