rich

¹ American  

[rich] / rɪtʃ /

adjective

richer, richest

1. having wealth or great possessions; abundantly supplied with resources, means, or funds; wealthy.

   a rich man;

   a rich nation.

   Synonyms:

   moneyed, well-to-do

   Antonyms:

   poor, poor, poor, poor, poor

2. abounding in natural resources.

   a rich territory.

   Antonyms:

   poor, poor, poor, poor, poor

3. having wealth or valuable resources (usually followed byin ).

   a country rich in traditions.

   Antonyms:

   poor, poor, poor, poor, poor

4. abounding (usually followed by in orwith ).

   a countryside rich in beauty;

   a design rich with colors.

   Antonyms:

   poor, poor, poor, poor, poor

5. of great value or worth; valuable.

   a rich collection of antique vases.

   Antonyms:

   poor, poor, poor, poor, poor

6. (of food) delectably and perhaps unhealthfully spicy, or sweet and abounding in butter or cream: a rich pastry.

   a rich gravy;

   a rich pastry.

7. costly, expensively elegant, or fine, as dress or jewels.

   Synonyms:

   dear, high-priced, precious

8. elaborately abundant; sumptuous.

   a rich feast.

9. using valuable materials or characterized by elaborate workmanship, as buildings or furniture.

10. abounding in desirable elements or qualities.

    a man rich in kindness.

11. (of wine) strong and finely flavored.

12. (of color) deep, strong, or vivid.

    rich purple.

    Synonyms:

    vibrant, intense

13. full and mellow in tone: a rich voice.

    rich sounds;

    a rich voice.

14. strongly fragrant; pungent.

    a rich odor.

    Synonyms:

    aromatic

15. producing or yielding abundantly.

    a rich soil.

    Synonyms:

    luxuriant, prolific, productive, fruitful

    Antonyms:

    poor, poor, poor, poor, poor

16. abundant, plentiful, or ample.

    a rich supply.

    Synonyms:

    bounteous, copious, bountiful

    Antonyms:

    poor, poor, poor, poor, poor

17. Automotive. (of a mixture in a fuel system) having a relatively high ratio of fuel to air (lean ).

18. Informal.

    1. highly amusing.

    2. ridiculous; absurd.

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noun

(used with a plural verb)

1. rich persons collectively.

   new tax shelters for the rich.

Rich ² American  

[rich] / rɪtʃ /

noun

1. Adrienne, 1929–2012, U.S. poet and feminist.

2. a male given name, form of Richard.

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rich ¹ British  

/ rɪtʃ /

adjective

1. 1. well supplied with wealth, property, etc; owning much

   2. ( as collective noun ; preceded by the )

      the rich

2. having an abundance of natural resources, minerals, etc

   a land rich in metals

3. producing abundantly; fertile

   rich soil

4. well supplied (with desirable qualities); abundant (in)

   a country rich with cultural interest

5. of great worth or quality; valuable

   a rich collection of antiques

6. luxuriant or prolific

   a rich growth of weeds

7. expensively elegant, elaborate, or fine; costly

   a rich display

8. (of food) having a large proportion of flavoursome or fatty ingredients, such as spices, butter, or cream

9. having a full-bodied flavour

   a rich ruby port

10. (of a smell) pungent or fragrant

11. (of colour) intense or vivid; deep

    a rich red

12. (of sound or a voice) full, mellow, or resonant

13. (of a fuel-air mixture) containing a relatively high proportion of fuel Compare weak

14. very amusing, laughable, or ridiculous

    a rich joke

    a rich situation

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noun

1. See riches

Rich ² British  

/ rɪtʃ /

noun

1. Adrienne. 1929–2012, US poet and feminist writer; her volumes of poetry include Snapshots of a Daughter-in-Law (1963) and Diving Into the Wreck (1973)

2. Buddy , real name Bernard Rich . 1917–87, US jazz drummer and band leader

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rich Idioms  

More idioms and phrases containing rich

• embarrassment of riches
• from rags to riches
• strike it rich

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Related Words

Rich, wealthy, affluent all indicate abundance of possessions. Rich is the general word; it may imply that possessions are newly acquired: an oilman who became rich overnight. Wealthy suggests permanence, stability, and appropriate surroundings: a wealthy banker. Affluent usually suggests a generous amount of income, with a high standard of living and some social prestige and privilege: an affluent family.

Other Word Forms

• overrich adjective
• overrichly adverb
• overrichness noun
• richly adverb
• richness noun
• superrich adjective
• ultrarich adjective

Etymology

Origin of rich

First recorded before 900; Middle English; Old English rīce (adjective), ultimately from Celtic; cognate with German reich “wealthy”; akin to Latin rēx, Sanskrit rājan “king”

Example Sentences

Both 72, they call the event Los Tradicionales — “the traditional ones” — because their goal is to help preserve Cuba’s rich dance heritage, from rumba to timba to casino, an ancestor of salsa.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 4, 2026

On the other end of the spectrum, there are rich folks who want to deploy thousands of mirrors in space to erase the night.

From Salon • Apr. 4, 2026

These "whale fall" sites create temporary but rich ecosystems where microbes quickly colonize and flourish.

From Science Daily • Apr. 3, 2026

Here’s why this matters for corporate earnings: If it’s true that the rich are propping up the economy, earnings might be benefiting from a strong wealth effect.

From Barron's • Apr. 3, 2026

Beyond the rich greenery of Waimea Valley, the shops and restaurants of Hale‘iwa, the old mill buildings at Waialua, there is the white shoreline that leads to Ka‘ena Point.

From "Clairboyance" by Kristiana Kahakauwila

Related Words

• elegant
• expensive
• fertile
• full
• gorgeous
• lush
• plentiful
• smart
• splendid
• valuable