riffraff

noun

ˈrif-ˌraf How to pronounce riffraff (audio)
Definition of riffraffnext
1
as in debris
discarded or useless material the sight of piles and piles of riffraff at the town dump was a sobering reminder that we are indeed a society of consumers

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in rabble
people looked down upon as ignorant and of the lowest class local ordinances that are intended to keep the riffraff out of the town

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 riffraff Lawyers, journalists and similar riffraff congregated at lunch or after work, and Vincent worked the room, table-hopping with jokes or movie reviews or tales from his latest intriguing trip. — Neal Rubin, Detroit Free Press, 8 Sep. 2024 The bar’s owner, Frankie (a spirited Jessica Williams), has hired Dalton to purge the riffraff, the better to realize her dream of making the Road House a respectable joint worthy of destination weddings and romantic getaways. — Ann Hornaday, Washington Post, 22 Mar. 2024 Bypass the riffraff and turn your ideas into something concrete. — Eugenia Last, The Mercury News, 18 Feb. 2024 William is ready for the task and has no intention of being killed by rebels or any other riffraff in the forests of Virginia. — Lincee Ray, EW.com, 8 July 2023 See All Example Sentences for riffraff
Recent Examples of Synonyms for riffraff
  1. debris
  2. rabble
  3. garbage
  4. populace
  5. trash
  6. public
  7. dust
  8. scum
Noun
  • Launch safety, orbital debris, broadband access, AI model conduct, content moderation, data use and energy consumption belong to different industry materiality maps.
    — Shivaram Rajgopal, Forbes.com, 23 July 2026
  • The 108-foot-long (33-meter-long) barge was loaded with construction debris, bringing its total weight to about 149 gross tons.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 23 July 2026
Definition of debris
Noun
  • Their tardiness, which saw the start delayed by half an hour, was continued on the field with India looking like a rabble in the face of the onslaught from Buttler and Brook.
    — Paul Newman, New York Times, 12 July 2026
  • At the same time, Democratic leaders, backed by a rabble, stormed City Hall and seized control of the local government.
    — Lauren Collins, New Yorker, 3 July 2026
Definition of rabble
Noun
  • Take down bird feeders, empty water features, add fencing or other wildlife barriers, and prevent access to garbage bins.
    — Barbara Gillette, The Spruce, 22 July 2026
  • This buildup occurs substantially in the brain, like garbage piling up when the trash collectors stop coming.
    — William A. Haseltine, Forbes.com, 22 July 2026
Definition of garbage
Noun
  • Their past two victories against Switzerland and Egypt came with the help of controversial calls that had the soccer-watching populace buzzing about potential favoritism toward Argentina.
    — AJ Willingham, AJC.com, 14 July 2026
  • Trump’s decision to deploy these soldiers has thoroughly spooked a populace that already distrusts the president.
    — Will Gottsegen, The Atlantic, 10 July 2026
Definition of populace
Noun
  • The case broke open when a Grapevine detective obtained a covert DNA sample from soda bottles in Brown’s trash in Colorado.
    — Amy McDaniel, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 18 July 2026
  • When the case was reopened, detectives worked with the Larimer County Sheriff’s Office in Colorado, where Brown was living at the time, to obtain DNA from soda bottles found in his trash.
    — Ingrid Vasquez, PEOPLE, 17 July 2026
Definition of trash
Noun
  • Mark Cavendish sprinted to five stage victories, while the French public had something to celebrate about with six stage victories.
    — Chris Marshall-Bell, New York Times, 19 July 2026
  • The two had earned more than $650 million through stock sales since taking the company public and bought two private luxury jets, according to the lawsuit and securities filings.
    — Jordan Rau, NPR, 19 July 2026
Definition of public
Noun
  • The meteorite had a strong sulfur-like odor and black fragments, debris and dust covered the room.
    — Julia Jacobo, ABC News, 17 July 2026
  • The molecular cloud and its dark lanes of gas and dust, the raw materials for star construction, are at the left of the DECam image.
    — Robert Lea, Space.com, 17 July 2026
Definition of dust
Noun
  • Politicians who supported him on all but one issue are referred to as scum or worse.
    — Letters to the Editor, The Orlando Sentinel, 18 July 2026
  • People didn’t really understand our stories, but nonetheless, we were labeled scum.
    — David Canfield, HollywoodReporter, 17 July 2026
Definition of scum

Browse Nearby Words

riffling
riffraff
riffs
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Cite this Entry

“Riffraff.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/riffraff. Accessed 25 Jul. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of riffraff for Spanish Speakers

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