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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 People familiar with Prince’s arrival say he was introduced in Haiti by Reuven Bigio, the CEO of the GB Group, a firm founded by Gilbert Bigio, an uber rich Haitian businessman who was sanctioned by Canada in 2022 along with other prominent members of the economic elite. Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 15 Aug. 2025 Whether real or fictionalized, rich women behaving badly is a formula that never fails to deliver (see exhibits A, B, C: Real Housewives, Desperate Housewives, Mormon Wives). Andrea Lavinthal, People.com, 15 Aug. 2025 The gold and cream jacquard shimmered with each movement, the intricate pattern gave the suit a rich, almost tapestry-like dimension. Karissa Mitchell, Essence, 15 Aug. 2025 Rudy also has a rich girlfriend, Sarah (Madison Iseman), who does work for the big bad law firm. Ben Travers, IndieWire, 15 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for rich
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rich
Adjective
  • The best option to fix this problem is for wealthy people to pay their share.
    Chicago Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 14 Aug. 2025
  • Cadence Sinclair Eastman comes from a wealthy family that visits Beechwood Island, near Martha’s Vineyard, every summer.
    Lynnette Nicholas, Parents, 14 Aug. 2025
Adjective
  • Category 3: High-fat dairy, refined carbohydrates, fatty meat.
    Sheah Rarback, Miami Herald, 21 Aug. 2025
  • Instead, prioritize sources of heart-healthy unsaturated fats like fatty fish, nuts, seeds, non-tropical vegetable oils, and avocado.
    Isabel Vasquez RD LDN, Health, 13 Aug. 2025
Adjective
  • Insurers that sell these plans don't offer all of the robust benefits of ACA plans.
    Ken Alltucker, USA Today, 26 Aug. 2025
  • Wheaton Precious Metals stock (NYSE: WPM) has increased by 61% year-to-date, driven by a robust mix of rising precious metal prices, outstanding operational results, and increasing institutional confidence.
    Trefis Team, Forbes.com, 25 Aug. 2025
Adjective
  • Yet the scaffolding that once made the country fertile ground for high-growth ventures is rusting.
    London Business School, Forbes.com, 14 Aug. 2025
  • Hayward and a few other pioneers created fertile ground for a restaurant culture, and began a tradition of investing in talent—sending young chefs to apprentice elsewhere, then inviting them back to Maine with sharpened skills and fresh visions.
    Marcia DeSanctis, Travel + Leisure, 12 Aug. 2025
Adjective
  • Frierson, 60, who stands 6-feet tall, has made good use of her comeback story — and her big heart and big personality — to attract supporters from all over Nashville, including the city's most affluent areas.
    Brad Schmitt, The Tennessean, 21 Aug. 2025
  • Already reeling from the loss of the popular couple, neighbors in their affluent community — which has seen an uptick in crime recently — demanded answers.
    Danielle Bacher, People.com, 20 Aug. 2025
Adjective
  • The sandwich, featuring ground meat—generally beef—suspended in a thick, sweet tomatoey sauce, has become an avatar of the horrible school lunch, a cliché that tends to go along with hairnets, greasy aprons, and other elements of canteen grotesquerie.
    Helen Rosner, New Yorker, 17 Aug. 2025
  • Then, dry the area and see if any greasy residue remains.
    Daley Quinn, Southern Living, 14 Aug. 2025
Adjective
  • Current cannabis products pack a punch Products today are more potent, according to the state audit.
    Amelia Wu, Sacbee.com, 25 Aug. 2025
  • Recipe Tips For Cream Cheese Mints Make sure to choose mint extract and not mint oil (which is much more potent).
    Ann Taylor Pittman, Southern Living, 24 Aug. 2025
Adjective
  • In 2024, SpaceX conducted a record-breaking 134 orbital launches, more than double the amount of launches done by the next most prolific launch provider, the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation, according to science and technology consulting firm BryceTech.
    Magdalena Petrova, CNBC, 24 Aug. 2025
  • David Ketchum, the goofy comic actor and prolific TV writer best known for squeezing into such stuffy spaces as vending machines, trash cans and airport lockers as Agent 13 on the fabled sitcom Get Smart, has died.
    Mike Barnes, HollywoodReporter, 22 Aug. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Rich.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rich. Accessed 28 Aug. 2025.

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