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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

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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. people
  7. dust
  8. public
Noun
  • The sheriff’s office released photos of the black Honda CR-V deep inside the store with debris surrounding the vehicle.
    — David Goodhue, Miami Herald, 17 Sep. 2026
  • The team looked through such coronagraph data for seven distant stars, each surrounded by debris disks where planet formation may be happening.
    — Chelsea Gohd, Space.com, 17 Sep. 2026
Definition of debris
Noun
  • Abdul El-Sayed, a rabble-rousing populist and former public health official, just barely eked out a primary victory Tuesday in Michigan over a centrist rival who was the pick of Washington Democrats to keep a must-hold Senate seat.
    — Philip Elliott, Time, 5 Aug. 2026
  • 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
Definition of rabble
Noun
  • Remove food that attracts wild animals by keeping garbage in closed, secure containers.
    — Gagandeep Singh, Sacbee.com, 15 Sep. 2026
  • The only people who spoke up for this garbage were the people who put it together.
    — Jim Cramer, CNBC, 13 Sep. 2026
Definition of garbage
Noun
  • In this world, Joe is the smartest guy in the room, and Camacho promises the populace that Joe will solve all America’s problems in one week.
    — Donald Liebenson, IndieWire, 14 Sep. 2026
  • Russia is impossibly far from the victory Putin imagined in February 2022—controlling the country’s whole territory and populace.
    — MICHAEL KIMMAGE, Foreign Affairs, 14 Sep. 2026
Definition of populace
Noun
  • It will then be loaded up with trash and sent down to a fiery death in Earth's atmosphere over the Pacific Ocean.
    — Mike Wall, Space.com, 16 Sep. 2026
  • These community governance groups rely on owner dues and assessments to cover shared amenities, like pools, trash collection, and lawn maintenance.
    — The Week US, TheWeek, 16 Sep. 2026
Definition of trash
Noun
  • Another 13 people were wounded on downtown Sacramento’s K Street and 10th Street, in what became the deadliest mass shooting in the city’s history.
    — Darrell Smith, Sacbee.com, 19 June 2026
  • Organizers say more than 125,000 people are expected throughout the event, bringing in millions of dollars for the local economy.
    — Ryan Hughes, CBS News, 19 June 2026
Definition of people
Noun
  • These micro-drones usually crash in low-visibility crisis zones where dust, smoke, or pitch darkness blinds cameras.
    — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 18 Sep. 2026
  • Tristan, in the middle of putting down new wood shavings, looked at me shyly through the dust clouds.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 18 Sep. 2026
Definition of dust
Noun
  • Despite communism’s collapse in 20th century Soviet bloc countries, the last decade has witnessed a surprising surge in interest in communism and socialism among the US public and journalists globally.
    — Luba Kassova, Fortune, 19 Sep. 2026
  • The challenges, some fear, are overwhelming for a system beloved by the American public and monumental for preserving America’s legacy and natural beauty.
    — Martin Goillandeau, CNN Money, 19 Sep. 2026
Definition of public

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 20 Sep. 2026.

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