raffish
Americanadjective
-
mildly or sometimes engagingly disreputable or nonconformist.
a matinee idol whose raffish offstage behavior amused millions.
-
gaudily vulgar or cheap; tawdry.
- Synonyms:
- inelegant, tasteless, loud, gaudy, garish, flamboyant, flashy, showy, tawdry, gimcrack, tinsel, cheap, tacky, vulgar, crass
- Antonyms:
- understated, reserved, quiet, plain, simple, high-class, classy, refined, elegant, tasteful
adjective
-
careless or unconventional in dress, manners, etc; rakish
-
tawdry; flashy; vulgar
Other Word Forms
- raffishly adverb
- raffishness noun
Etymology
Origin of raffish
Explanation
Someone raffish is a bit of a scoundrel, carelessly making mischief. Your raffish classmate might constantly play mean practical jokes, always denying responsibility with a charming smile. If you're raffish, you're a "rake" or a "cad." Though you're pretty much bad news, you pull off your dastardly deeds in an attractive manner. Someone with a raffish look is intriguing as well as disreputable. Raffish comes from riff-raff, "generally undesirable people," from the Medieval French rifle et rafle, "stealing from the bodies of the dead on the battlefield."
Vocabulary lists containing raffish
A Streetcar Named Desire
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
The Once and Future King
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
One ghost is a raffish Frenchman who exclaims, “quelle horreur!”
From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 23, 2026
Now combined into a single storefront, the current retail space retains raffish details of its liquor-store days, including a retro red-and-blue neon sign and period gilt window lettering advertising cognacs and cordials.
From Seattle Times • Aug. 28, 2022
Having a higher seed come 2,094 miles from home to face a lower seed 249 miles from home can seem raffish and beery.
From Washington Post • Mar. 17, 2022
A self-styled Prince of Darkness, an atheist who fears he is “irretrievably consigned to perdition,” Jack gives off a raffish existential allure.
From New York Times • Sep. 29, 2020
In the village street St. Toirdealbhach was waiting to receive the convoy, a raffish Silenus supported by four small boys.
From "The Once and Future King" by T. H. White
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
