rich

RICH/ɹɪt͡ʃ/

16 meanings of rich

Practice

1
affluentadjective
Having lots of money and valuable things.
Like having a wallet that never seems to run out of money.
My uncle became rich after selling his company.
Rich families often own more than one home.
UsageSay richer and richest.
Similarwealthy, moneyed, loaded, well-off, well-to-do
Oppositepoor
2
packed withadjective
Having a lot of something good.
Like a garden full of every kind of flower.
The country has a rich supply of fresh water.
Her life was rich with good friends and happy memories.
UsageSay rich in something: rich in vitamins.
Similarabundant, plentiful, full, fulfilling
Oppositescarce, low
Note
3
heavy (food)adjective
Having a strong, heavy taste from lots of fat or sugar.
Like a dessert so sweet and heavy you can only eat a little.
The chocolate cake was so rich that one slice was enough.
She found the creamy sauce too rich for her stomach.
UsageFood can be too rich.
Similarheavy, creamy, decadent, indulgent
Oppositelight
4
nounplural
People who have a lot of money, thought of as one group.
In that city, the rich live far from everyone else.
New tax laws were meant to make the rich pay more.
UsageSay the rich are (not ~~incorrect: the rich is~~).
Similarwealthy, affluent
Oppositepoor
Note
5
adjective
Strong and deep, not light or weak.
Like a color so deep it looks almost solid.
The walls were painted a rich shade of red.
Her dress was a rich, deep blue.
Similardeep, vivid, full, resonant, intense
Oppositefaint, thin, pale
6
luxuriousadjective
Made of costly, valuable materials.
Like a crown covered in gold and jewels.
The king wore rich robes trimmed with gold.
The hall was decorated with rich fabrics and fine art.
Similarsumptuous, lavish, opulent, luxurious, costly
Oppositeplain
7
adjective
Able to grow many crops or produce a lot.
Like soil so good that almost anything you plant grows well.
The rich soil in the valley produced huge harvests.
Farmers prize this rich land for growing wheat.
Similarfertile, productive, fruitful, lush
Oppositebarren, infertile, poor
8
many features (tech)adjective
Full of extra features like images, sound, or things you can click.
Like a pop-up book full of colors and moving parts instead of plain gray pages.
This app shows rich pages with videos, buttons, and pictures.
This email app lets you send rich messages with photos, colors, and links.
UsageOften rich text.
Oppositeplain, unformatted
Note

Less common meanings

9
ridiculousadjectivecolloquial
Annoyingly ridiculous, especially when someone criticizes others for something they do too.
Like a thief telling you not to steal.
He called me lazy? That's rich, coming from him.
It's a bit rich for him to call me lazy when he naps all day.
UsageOften That's rich!
Similarironic, galling, laughable
Note
10
very funnyadjectivecolloquial
Very funny and entertaining.
Like a joke so funny you can't stop laughing.
His impression of the boss was so rich the whole office cracked up.
Dad laughed so hard at Grandma's story that he said, "Oh, that's rich!"
Similaramusing, funny, entertaining, hilarious
Oppositedull
11
profitableadjective
Bringing in a large amount of money or profit.
Like a fruit tree that drops more fruit than you can carry every single year.
The new contract was rich, paying far more than the old one.
The star player signed a rich new contract with the team.
Similarlucrative, profitable, remunerative
Oppositeunprofitable
12
strong (solution)adjective
Of a liquid or mixture, having a lot of one thing in it, like a fuel mix with too much fuel.
Like very strong coffee made with lots of grounds, not a weak, watery cup.
If the fuel mix is too rich, the engine puffs black smoke.
The mechanic said the engine was running rich, using too much gas.
Oppositelean
13
verbobsoleteintransitive
To become rich, or to grow wealthy over time.
Note
14
make wealthyverbobsoletetransitive
To make a person or place rich by adding wealth or value.
With shadowy forests and with champains rich'd
c. 1603, William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of King Lear”Here, rich'd means made rich, so the land is enriched with forests and fields.
And than he shall be riched ſo, That it may faile nevermo
c. 1386, John Gower, Confessio Amantis of John Gower: Edited and Collated with the Best ManuscriptsHere, riched means made rich, so he will be enriched.
Note
15
adjective
Costing much more than usual, or more than the thing is really worth.
16
adjectiveslang
Sexual and meant to excite in a rude or dirty way.

More uses

richesgreat wealth

Practice

Can you tell the meanings of rich apart? Answer 3 quick questions from this page, or write your own sentence and AI will check it.

Origin

From Old English rīċe, meaning powerful, mighty, and wealthy. It goes back to an old word for king or ruler.

Checked 30 Oct 2026 · 3 facts

Rich derives from Old English rīċe. en.wiktionary.org
Old English rīċe meant powerful, mighty, and wealthy. en.wiktionary.org
The word ultimately derives from an older word meaning king or ruler. en.wiktionary.org