rakish
1 Americanadjective
adjective
-
dashing; jaunty
a hat set at a rakish angle
-
nautical (of a ship or boat) having lines suggestive of speed
adjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of rakish1
First recorded in 1700–10; rake 2 + -ish 1
Origin of rakish2
Explanation
Ladies, the rakish fellow you met last night with the suave dance moves, smoothly rehearsed lines, and your number listed as “Goddess #14” in his phone is fine for a flirt, but probably isn’t meet-the-parents material. Used as an adjective to describe a dashing ladies’ man or a streamlined ship, rakish comes from the fusing of rake + -ish. Don Juan, the famous Spanish nobleman immortalized in 17th century Spanish tales, is the epitome of rakish: stylishly handsome and prone to saucy, fast behavior. Synonyms include charming, flashy, and immoral.
Vocabulary lists containing rakish
The Vocabulary.com Top 1000
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Matilda
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"The Secret Life of Walter Mitty" by James Thurber
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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.
There’s also a rakish love interest—an intriguing man who, unlike the Stoics, is an argument for passion.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 30, 2026
His transformation into the rakish Soul Man earned him the rare cultural validation of a “Soul Train” appearance.
From Salon • Jan. 24, 2026
The nightlife of Russia’s elite has long been famously rakish but a recent party crossed an invisible line and provoked a public scandal.
From Washington Times • Dec. 28, 2023
Mark, your role in “Poor Things”: rakish, caddish, pretty much everything bad.
From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 12, 2023
He thought it gave him a rakish daring look, especially when he wore it at an angle with his loud checked jacket and green tie.
From "Matilda" by Roald Dahl
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.
