1
: having abundant possessions and especially material wealth
2
a
: having high value or quality
b
: well supplied or endowed
a city rich in traditions
3
: magnificently impressive : sumptuous
4
a
: vivid and deep in color
a rich red
b
: full and mellow in tone and quality
a rich voice
c
: having a strong fragrance
rich perfumes
5
: highly productive or remunerative
a rich mine
6
a
: having abundant plant nutrients
rich soil
b
: highly seasoned, fatty, oily, or sweet
rich foods
c
: high in the combustible component
a rich fuel mixture
d
: high in some component
cholesterol-rich foods
7
a
b
: meaningful, significant
rich allusions
c
: lush
rich meadows
8
: pure or nearly pure
rich lime
richness noun
Choose the Right Synonym for rich

rich, wealthy, affluent, opulent 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

wealthy stresses the possession of property and intrinsically valuable things.

wealthy landowners

affluent suggests prosperity and an increasing wealth.

an affluent society

opulent suggests lavish expenditure and display of great wealth, more often applying to things than people.

an opulent mansion

Examples of rich in a Sentence

Her investments have made her rich. The dictionary is a rich source of information. a rich and spicy soup The food was a little too rich for me. Their country has a rich cultural heritage. This area has a rich history. She has a rich vocabulary.
Recent Examples on the Web Rather than expanding and becoming richer, Anderson’s method folds in, like origami. Armond White, National Review, 15 Mar. 2024 Fashion is about storytelling, and Cape Verde, off the coast of West Africa, felt like the perfect fit with its unique topography: cinematic dunes, endless white sand beaches, and rich volcanic areas. Martha Ward, Condé Nast Traveler, 14 Mar. 2024 The way to stop America from funding rich corporations and wealthy individuals and to start really investing in what is good for America is to stop voting Republican. Letters To The Editor, The Mercury News, 14 Mar. 2024 The Strawberry Forest Pie, tart with jammy berries and rich with a thick chocolate pudding layer, is a draw for those who adore the flavors of traditional Black Forest gateau. Defne Karabatur, Los Angeles Times, 14 Mar. 2024 Dating back to the mid-1920s, the mansion carries a rich history, once owned by the Catholic Archdiocese of Detroit and home to Catholic Bishop Michael Gallagher. Brendel Hightower, Detroit Free Press, 14 Mar. 2024 Writing about somebody who got shot while dancing wearing regalia and how that would play out in a single family that had a lot of layers and seemed rich. Stuart Miller, Orange County Register, 13 Mar. 2024 The resulting devastation threatens Main Street’s rich historic value, which contributes to tourism as the leading economic driver of the once-prosperous mining town of about 5,000 residents. Jose R. Gonzalez, The Arizona Republic, 3 Mar. 2024 It was originally intended to make sure that rich people paid at least some income tax. Jeff Sommer, New York Times, 2 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'rich.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English riche, from Old English rīce; akin to Old High German rīhhi rich, Old English rīce kingdom, Old High German rīhhi, noun; all from prehistoric Germanic words borrowed from Celtic words akin to Old Irish (genitive ríg) king — more at royal

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of rich was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near rich

Cite this Entry

“Rich.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rich. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

rich

adjective
1
: having great wealth : wealthy
2
a
: having high value
a rich harvest
b
: costly sense 1, valuable
rich robes
3
a
: having a large supply of some usually desirable quality or thing
a land rich in resources
b
: of pleasingly strong odor
rich perfumes
c
: very productive : fruitful, fertile
a rich mine
rich soils
d
: containing much seasoning, fat, or sugar
rich food
e
: high in fuel content
a rich mixture
4
a
: vivid and deep in color
rich red
b
: full and mellow in tone and quality
rich voice
5
: very amusing
a play with many rich lines
richness noun

Biographical Definition

Rich

biographical name

Adrienne Cecile 1929–2012 American poet

More from Merriam-Webster on rich

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