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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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
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
There’s a gate topped with barbed wire to keep the riffraff out, and then long and winding stairs down to the sea.
—Stephen Rodrick, Variety, 13 Sep. 2023
Boba turned and scanned the alcoves again, ignoring the riffraff who stared at him, and raised his eyebrows at the sight of a familiar face.
—Brian Truitt, USA TODAY, 22 Aug. 2023
The Standard’s interior is sleek yet warm and devoid of riffraff.
—Bob Carlton | Bcarlton@al.com, al, 27 July 2023
See All Example Sentences for riffraff
Lincee Ray, EW.com, 8 July 2023
There’s a gate topped with barbed wire to keep the riffraff out, and then long and winding stairs down to the sea.
—Stephen Rodrick, Variety, 13 Sep. 2023
Boba turned and scanned the alcoves again, ignoring the riffraff who stared at him, and raised his eyebrows at the sight of a familiar face.
—Brian Truitt, USA TODAY, 22 Aug. 2023
The Standard’s interior is sleek yet warm and devoid of riffraff.
—Bob Carlton | Bcarlton@al.com, al, 27 July 2023
See All Example Sentences for riffraff
Recent Examples of Synonyms for riffraff
Noun
-
The lot was activated because of the magnitude of storm debris that had to be removed from the basins.—
Dakota Smith,
Los Angeles Times,
28 Apr. 2025
-
For those with patience to keep them free of debris and properly chlorinated (or, more realistically, the funds to hire someone), there’s probably just enough time to close on one of these homes before a mid-season heat wave.—
Matthew Sedacca,
Curbed,
28 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
There was little-to-no doubt Jurgen Klopp’s side were going to defeat Ralf Rangnick’s under-interim-management rabble that day.—
Carl Anka,
The Athletic,
4 Jan. 2025
-
Advertisement From start to finish, pure madness, amid a rabble that never calmed, never quieted, never quit.—
Bill Plaschke,
Los Angeles Times,
6 Oct. 2024
Noun
-
Unlike a regular old garbage bag, these are leakproof and durable (and thus much harder for a squirrel to rip into, if given the chance).—
Sara Coughlin,
SELF,
22 Apr. 2025
-
Four 20-pound bags of hamburger buns and sandwich breads got hit with Stop Sales, sending 80 pounds of bread into the garbage.—
David J. Neal,
Miami Herald,
15 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
Because of their risk of catching fire, lithium-ion batteries cannot be thrown out in the trash, curbside bins, or even battery recycling boxes.—
Aimee Picchi,
CBS News,
18 Apr. 2025
-
Fruit flies will also target places where food is disposed of, like your trash bins or drains.—
BestReviews,
Mercury News,
18 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
Historian William Dalrymple traces the current sectarian divisions to the reign of Emperor Aurangzeb, who shattered the empire’s religious pluralism by trying to impose orthodox Islam on the populace.—
Brady Knox,
The Washington Examiner,
24 Apr. 2025
-
But those environmentalists would have recognized, at least a little, the political climate: a corrupt Republican Administration and an energized populace willing to take to the streets.—
Bill McKibben,
New Yorker,
22 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
The optional speakers can run on battery power for up to eight hours (recharged via USB-C port), and are rated to IP54 dust and water resistance.—
John Archer,
Forbes.com,
25 Apr. 2025
-
Clouds form when water vapor condenses around tiny particles like dust or salt.—
Thomas G. Moukawsher,
MSNBC Newsweek,
24 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
Hanni’s Water Balm Mist was made precisely for people who don’t want to lather on lotion.—
Conçetta Ciarlo,
Vogue,
28 Apr. 2025
-
Around 20 minutes into the episode, the show cut away from Jackson to a group of people hiking through the woods around Seattle.—
Megan McCluskey,
Time,
28 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
As a result of these reentries, however, the amount of space junk burning up in the upper layers of the atmosphere is increasing, which worries some atmospheric scientists.—
Tereza Pultarova,
Space.com,
14 Apr. 2025
-
What about that wily junk dealer, or the creepy cemetery?—
Kevin Purdy,
ArsTechnica,
5 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Riffraff.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/riffraff. Accessed 2 May. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share