rash 1 of 2

adjective

Definition of rashnext
as in impulsive
acting or done with excessive or careless speed that was too rash a move, for now I've lost my bishop and probably the whole chess game

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

rash

2 of 2

noun

as in plague

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Dissimilar Words

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective rash contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of rash are adventurous, daredevil, daring, foolhardy, reckless, and venturesome. While all these words mean "exposing oneself to danger more than required by good sense," rash suggests imprudence and lack of forethought.

a rash decision

When is adventurous a more appropriate choice than rash?

The words adventurous and rash are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, adventurous implies a willingness to accept risks but not necessarily imprudence.

adventurous pioneers

Where would daredevil be a reasonable alternative to rash?

The synonyms daredevil and rash are sometimes interchangeable, but daredevil stresses ostentation in daring.

daredevil motorcyclists

When would daring be a good substitute for rash?

The words daring and rash can be used in similar contexts, but daring implies fearlessness in courting danger.

daring mountain climbers

When can foolhardy be used instead of rash?

While the synonyms foolhardy and rash are close in meaning, foolhardy suggests a recklessness that is inconsistent with good sense.

the foolhardy sailor ventured into the storm

In what contexts can reckless take the place of rash?

The meanings of reckless and rash largely overlap; however, reckless implies heedlessness of probable consequences.

a reckless driver

When could venturesome be used to replace rash?

In some situations, the words venturesome and rash are roughly equivalent. However, venturesome implies a jaunty eagerness for perilous undertakings.

venturesome stunt pilots

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 rash
Adjective
Symptoms may include fever, fatigue, rash, headache, body aches, nausea and vomiting. — Desiree Anello, PEOPLE, 1 Aug. 2026 Symptoms of Bourbon virus include fever, fatigue, rash, headache, body aches and nausea. — Teresa Mull, FOXNews.com, 1 Aug. 2026
Noun
An infected person can spread the disease up to four days before a measles rash appears and up to four days after the rash appears, according to the county department. — Karen Garcia, Los Angeles Times, 6 Aug. 2026 Measles symptoms include fever, cough, runny nose, red eyes or a rash. — Ivan Pereira, ABC News, 6 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for rash
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rash
  1. impulsive
  2. plague
  3. hurried
  4. epidemic
  5. sudden
  6. spate
  7. hasty
  8. raft
Adjective
  • But as with any James Gray film, there are life-altering consequences on the other side of impulsive decision-making for the sake of the American dream.
    — Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 10 Aug. 2026
  • That pause may stop an impulsive post from growing into a much bigger problem.
    — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 9 Aug. 2026
Definition of impulsive
Noun
  • Communism was an ideological plague that killed more than 100 million people and tyrannized and warped the lives of hundreds of millions more.
    — Steve Forbes, Forbes.com, 7 Aug. 2026
  • And Gakpo offers a solution both on the wing and through the middle, should injuries plague Spurs’ centre-forwards again.
    — Chris Weatherspoon, New York Times, 5 Aug. 2026
Definition of plague
Adjective
  • Hours later, across the globe, after the Dodgers dispatched the San Diego Padres in a season-opening win – and after Mizuhara served as Ohtani’s interpreter in a hurried and rushed postgame media scrum – Hiltzik called ESPN again.
    — Fabian Ardaya, New York Times, 28 July 2026
  • That hurried buildup led to an enormous industrial overhang, and, in California’s San Francisco Bay and elsewhere, a sad legacy of polluted and abandoned waterfront.
    — Craig Hooper, Forbes.com, 20 July 2026
Definition of hurried
Noun
  • Fauci saw patients in the early days of the epidemic when no treatments were available.
    — Michael Collins, USA Today, 7 Aug. 2026
  • State media was forbidden from reporting on the epidemic, and details of hospital admissions and deaths were suppressed.
    — David J. Hunter, STAT, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of epidemic
Adjective
  • The sudden loss of mass means the strength of the primary star’s gravity drops suddenly, causing the secondary companion to get flung out into space at dizzying speeds.
    — Phil Plait, Scientific American, 14 Aug. 2026
  • But the sudden reversal in many of its biggest stock bets, compounded by losses on the other side of its portfolio and the use of leverage, quickly turned into a liquidity crunch.
    — Yun Li, CNBC, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of sudden
Noun
  • This year, its Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events (DCASE) is unveiling a spate of new artist commissions, called the Chicago Monuments Project.
    — Jacqui Palumbo, CNN Money, 11 Aug. 2026
  • The warning comes amid a recent spate of shark sightings along the Eastern Seaboard, as warmer waters draw them closer to shore.
    — Mason Leib, ABC News, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of spate
Adjective
  • Thankfully, the lessons from that hasty dash towards the fringes of our towns and cities in the 1990s and early 2000s seem to have been learned.
    — Richard Sutcliffe, New York Times, 13 Aug. 2026
  • Now that the finish line is in sight, don’t be hasty and ruin all your hard work.
    — Dominic Cadogan, Glamour, 13 July 2026
Definition of hasty
Noun
  • Nvidia is at the center of the AI boom, manufacturing chips and other hardware used in a raft of tech companies’ AI models.
    — Anna Cooban, CNN Money, 11 Aug. 2026
  • Another historic beach club, Le Carillon (from 1937), features a stylish collaboration with Dolce & Gabbana, with the designers’ vivid Verde Maiolica pattern used for loungers, umbrellas, beach towels-- and even floating rafts.
    — Catherine Sabino, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of raft

Browse Nearby Words

rascals
rash
rashes
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Cite this Entry

“Rash.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rash. Accessed 17 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on rash

Nglish: Translation of rash for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about rash

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