RAFFISH Synonyms: 77 Similar and Opposite Words

raffish

adjective

ˈra-fish

Definition of raffish

as in crass

lacking in refinement or good taste the dowager cringed at the thought of raffish tourists in rough boots tromping all over her Persian rugs

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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 raffish Three or four decades ago, the newspaperman was appealingly raffish—at once a bum who drank too much and a knight-errant who charged unafraid at social injustice, succored the weak, and crossed lances with the powerful and arrogant. — David Wingrave, Harpers Magazine, 24 Oct. 2025 A little lowly courier work, yes, but nothing more raffish than that. — Anthony Lane, New Yorker, 8 Sep. 2025 The banal village tunes that Mahler altered into sinister mock vulgarities—did these not recall the raffish klezmer bands, the wandering musicians who played at shtetl weddings? — David Denby, The Atlantic, 1 Apr. 2025 There’s an over-the-top and overdressed fish out of water (me), a raffish Englishmen homesick for Great Britain (my husband Aidan, who will be mortified to read any of this), and an ensemble of quirky characters. — Mosha Lundström Halbert, Vogue, 20 Dec. 2024 See All Example Sentences for raffish

Recent Examples of Synonyms for raffish

Adjective

To put it in its crassest terms, the story needs to come before the reporter.

— K.J. Yossman, Variety, 3 Aug. 2026
Cruise plays Digger Rockwell, a crass and charismatic oil executive who’s called upon to help save the world after his company nearly destroys it.

— Jim Hemphill, IndieWire, 13 July 2026

Definition of crass

Adjective

Totally ignoring the humanity of both worker and customer is rude, and yet both parties are interested in getting on with whatever the transaction is.

— Judith Martin, Mercury News, 25 Aug. 2026
When Hank and Peggy meet a new family who has moved into the neighborhood, the Laotian Souphanousinphones, Hank immediately dislikes the father, Kahn, who is abrasive, competitive, and often rude.

— Jordana Rosenfeld, Encyclopedia Britannica, 24 Aug. 2026

Definition of rude

Adjective

Using clean hands or a pastry cutter, mash until the butter is fully incorporated and the mixture is coarse and crumbly.

— ABC News, ABC News, 25 Aug. 2026
Instead of flammable mulch like bark or wood chips, use lava stone or coarse gravel around any shrubbery that is within 5 feet of the structure.

— Sarah Perkel, USA Today, 21 Aug. 2026

Definition of coarse

Adjective

The most common type of vessel traveling through the strait was the product tanker, which typically transports refined petroleum products.

— Billy Stockwell, CNN Money, 22 Aug. 2026
Anyway… Jiang came up with some good ways to promote sustainability for data center designs, making the argument that common-sense changes will matter.

— John Werner, Forbes.com, 22 Aug. 2026

Definition of common

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radius

raffish

raffishness

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“Raffish.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/raffish. Accessed 26 Aug. 2026.

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Synonyms of raffish

adjective

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