1
2
3
4

Try This Instead

For
Try This
rich people
wealthy people
super-wealthy people
high-income people
lucky people
elite people
rich foods
fat foods
dense foods
heavy foods
high-calorie foods
high-nutrient foods
rich variety
diverse variety
great variety
extensive variety
amazing variety
wide variety
rich history
vibrant history
immense history
strong history
proud history
extensive history
rich land
lush land

Synonym Chooser

How is the word rich distinct from other similar adjectives?

Some common synonyms of rich are affluent, opulent, and wealthy. While all these words 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

When would affluent be a good substitute for rich?

The words affluent and rich can be used in similar contexts, but affluent suggests prosperity and an increasing wealth.

an affluent society

When might opulent be a better fit than rich?

The words opulent and rich are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, opulent suggests lavish expenditure and display of great wealth, more often applying to things than people.

an opulent mansion

When can wealthy be used instead of rich?

The meanings of wealthy and rich largely overlap; however, wealthy stresses the possession of property and intrinsically valuable things.

wealthy landowners

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 rich The stratification of our society continues unabated, with the rich getting richer, and the poor getting poorer. Letters To The Editor, The Orlando Sentinel, 28 June 2025 The Blue Jackets were deep in trade talks with the New York Islanders earlier in the day to acquire defenseman Noah Dobson, but the asking price — both first-round draft picks, a roster player and a prospect — was too rich for Waddell’s blood. Aaron Portzline, New York Times, 28 June 2025 It’s measured in sharper thinking, richer conversations, and better decisions. Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 27 June 2025 In 2020, an extensive research review found that a diet rich in spicy peppers was associated with less obesity, heart disease, and diabetes risk. Matt Fuchs, Time, 17 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for rich
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rich
Adjective
  • While the tax may be imagined for wealthy folks like Swift, Rhode Island natives could also be impacted by the tax, Stephen MacGillivray, a Pierce Atwood partner, told USA TODAY.
    Greta Cross, USA Today, 27 June 2025
  • Democrats have already recoiled at the anti-Muslim attacks he’s faced since Tuesday, and the nervous backroom meetings of wealthy people who want to stop him.
    David Weigel, semafor.com, 27 June 2025
Adjective
  • Noisy fireworks, intense heat, fatty foods and crowded yards make Independence Day a high-risk holiday for our four-legged friends.
    Kelsey Monstrola, USA Today, 24 June 2025
  • Fish, however, is a staple, especially fatty fish such as sardines.
    Sandee LaMotte, CNN Money, 23 June 2025
Adjective
  • The Desktop Specialist is a fast entry point; the Data Analyst certification builds on it with more robust tools for visual analytics.
    Dr. Aviva Legatt, Forbes.com, 26 June 2025
  • The mobile app is far more robust for video than the desktop web browser version.
    PC Magazine, PC Magazine, 25 June 2025
Adjective
  • So the human quest for fertilizer—substances to make the soil fertile—followed fast on the heels of agriculture itself.
    Matthew Wills, JSTOR Daily, 29 June 2025
  • In the Veneto region, vineyards stretch across gravelly river plains and fertile plains near the Adriatic Sea.
    Joseph V Micallef, Forbes.com, 28 June 2025
Adjective
  • Trunk Club revolutionized personal styling for affluent men through high-touch, personalized service—customers developed relationships with individual stylists who understood their preferences.
    Jennifer J. Fondrevay, Forbes.com, 1 July 2025
  • Premium beer, high-end wines, and RTD cocktails cater to affluent, health-conscious consumers who prioritize quality over quantity.
    Michael Khouw, CNBC, 30 June 2025
Adjective
  • The serum for greasy skin has salicylic acid; for pigmentation has niacinamide; for first signs of aging has bakuchiol, and for advanced signs of aging has retinol, at 0.3 percent.
    Jennifer Weil, Footwear News, 1 July 2025
  • The wrenches are made of S2 grade steel with a grippy rubber coating meant to provide purchase for greasy hands.
    Gabriel Morgan, Better Homes & Gardens, 30 June 2025
Adjective
  • With collaborations like Pink Cookies with THC Design and Skywalker with Rove, plus a party-heavy marketing style, Presidential keeps its image loud, proud and potent. 6.
    Javier Hasse, Forbes.com, 26 June 2025
  • The ending serves as a handy reminder that the zombie movie, more than perhaps any other strain of horror cinema, can be a potent conductor of allegory, metaphor, and polemic.
    Justin Chang, New Yorker, 25 June 2025
Adjective
  • Written by prolific children’s author Millicent E. Selsam, the book chronicles the process of animal identification, showing children how ordinary places can be sites of scientific observation.
    Jessica George, JSTOR Daily, 25 June 2025
  • However, the prolific public commentator is one of China's best-know propagandists and his posts credibly capture part of the mood in the country.
    John Feng, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 June 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Rich.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rich. Accessed 9 Jul. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on rich

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!