rah

[ rah ]

/ rɑ /

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See synonyms for rah on Thesaurus.com

interjection

(used as an exclamation of encouragement to a player or team.)

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Origin of rah

First recorded in 1865–70; short for hurrah

Words nearby rah

Ragusa, ragweed, ragwork, ragworm, ragwort, rah, Rahab, Rahimyar Khan, Rahman, rah-rah, rahui

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

MORE ABOUT RAH

What does rah mean?

Rah is a word that’s shouted as a cheer, typically by cheerleaders or fans at sporting events.

It’s associated with traditional cheers that are used to cheer on a team or player—like the classic rah, rah, sis boom bah.

Due to its use as a cheer, rah is almost always spoken (shouted, actually) and is rarely written, except perhaps in descriptions of cheers.

Example: Led by the cheerleaders, the crowd cheered “rah, rah!” as the team ran onto the field.

Where does rah come from?

The first records of the word rah come from around 1870. It is a shortening of hurrah, which comes from the similar German term hurra. Hurrah may have been based on or influenced by the earlier and very similar huzzah. Huzzah is thought to come from a word that sailors used to shout in celebration. It may derive from the word hoise, meaning “to hoist”—which they’d shout when hoisting (raising) something, like the sails of the ship.

Repetition of the word rah can be heard in many traditional cheers. Use of the term in this way led to the term rah-rah, which is an adjective used to describe an enthusiastic attitude or spirit or actions motivated by such spirit. It often implies that someone is cheering on something in an uncritical or overly enthusiastic way, as in His rah-rah attitude about the company has prevented him from seeing its flaws.

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What are some words that share a root or word element with rah?

What are some words that often get used in discussing rah?

How is rah used in real life?

Rah is almost exclusively used as a cheer at sporting events. Occasionally, it appears in parts of songs modeled after such cheers.

Rah! Rah! Rah! Rah! T-A-M-C! Rah! Rah! Rah! Rah! T-A-M-C! Rah! Rah! Rah! Rah! T-A-M-C! Aaaa! Rah! Rah! Rah! Team! #MidnightYell #BTHOolemiss

— Texas A&M University (@TAMU) October 24, 2015

MO FARAH, MO FARAH, RUNNING DOWN THE WING, FARAH RAH RAH RAH RAH RAH RAH, THE QUORN EATING KING #SoccerAid

— Footy Accumulators (@FootyAccums) June 10, 2018

Rah rah ah-ah-ah!
Ro mah ro-mah-mah
Gaga oh-la-la!
Want your bad romance

— The Real Fat Nick (@_FatNick) February 6, 2018

Try using rah!

Which of the following people are LEAST likely to chant the word rah at a sporting event to encourage the home team?

A. the home team’s fans
B. the home team’s cheerleaders
C. the home team’s mascot
D. the opposing team’s fans

How to use rah in a sentence

The seemingly heroic stance of ACOG and the rah-rah for consumers need to be set into proper context.
How Over-the-Counter Birth Control Could Screw You|Kent Sepkowitz|November 24, 2012|DAILY BEAST
After a tense, at times laughable chase, comes the kind of rah-rah moment that amps up the audience for the rest of the film.
Best James Bond Opening Sequences: ‘Goldeneye’ & More (VIDEO)|Kevin Fallon|October 4, 2012|DAILY BEAST
As I wrote this morning, it's true right now that right-wing pundits are trying to rah-rah his statements.
When a Candidate Loses Control|Michael Tomasky|September 18, 2012|DAILY BEAST
An enduring example of their seeming distance from the more "rah rah" Bush crowd came on Election Day, 2008.
The Cheney You Don't Know|Matt Latimer|October 12, 2010|DAILY BEAST

We are asking you in the name of this Valley, make a way for Sah-rah, even in the political arena!
Inside Sarah's Church|Max Blumenthal|September 5, 2009|DAILY BEAST
Then he was passed by Beatty, who spurted to get to the front, and this gave Harvard an opportunity to "hoo-rah."
Frank Merriwell's Races|Burt L. Standish
He had sent for him as a car-rah-dy to attend her when she was ill; but he either could not or would not obey the summons.
An Account of the English Colony in New South Wales, Vol. 1|David Collins
On the following morning he was visited by a car-rah-dy, who came express from the north shore.
An Account of the English Colony in New South Wales, Vol. 1|David Collins
And if you catch her chewing gum, or flirting with a rah-rah chum, then take a strap and make things hum, Wilhelmina!
Uncle Walt [Walt Mason]|Walt Mason
Spelled “Bihaura,” it sounded like Bee-ah-oo-rah, with every syllable sharply emphasized.
The Cruise of the Snark|Jack London

British Dictionary definitions for rah

rah

/ (rɑː) /