affluent 1 of 2

Definition of affluentnext

affluent

2 of 2

noun

as in tributary
a stream that flows into a larger body of water the Nipigon and the St. Louis rivers are affluents of Lake Superior

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How is the word affluent distinct from other similar adjectives?

Some common synonyms of affluent are opulent, rich, and wealthy. While all these words mean "having goods, property, and money in abundance," affluent suggests prosperity and an increasing wealth.

an affluent society

When could opulent be used to replace affluent?

The synonyms opulent and affluent are sometimes interchangeable, but opulent suggests lavish expenditure and display of great wealth, more often applying to things than people.

an opulent mansion

When is rich a more appropriate choice than affluent?

The words rich and affluent are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, rich implies having more than enough to gratify normal needs or desires.

became rich through shrewd investing

When can wealthy be used instead of affluent?

Although the words wealthy and affluent have much in common, wealthy stresses the possession of property and intrinsically valuable things.

wealthy landowners

How is the word affluent distinct from other similar adjectives?

Some common synonyms of affluent are opulent, rich, and wealthy. While all these words mean "having goods, property, and money in abundance," affluent suggests prosperity and an increasing wealth.

an affluent society

When could opulent be used to replace affluent?

The synonyms opulent and affluent are sometimes interchangeable, but opulent suggests lavish expenditure and display of great wealth, more often applying to things than people.

an opulent mansion

When is rich a more appropriate choice than affluent?

The words rich and affluent are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, rich implies having more than enough to gratify normal needs or desires.

became rich through shrewd investing

When can wealthy be used instead of affluent?

Although the words wealthy and affluent have much in common, wealthy stresses the possession of property and intrinsically valuable things.

wealthy landowners

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of affluent
Adjective
First-time candidate Emily Gregory beat Republican Jon Maples by about 2% in a special election for an affluent Palm Beach County district that voted for Trump by 11% in the 2024 presidential election and had been held by the GOP for decades. Dave Goldiner, New York Daily News, 25 Mar. 2026 Back then, the neighborhood was mostly blue-collar families, but the demographics shifted as investors and more affluent families began buying and fixing up older homes. Peter Blanchard, IndyStar, 25 Mar. 2026
Noun
The conventional wisdom sees meager job growth as largely a result of immigration restrictions and demographics, disconnected from still-healthy GDP-tracking models that capture urgent capex levels and free spending by the affluent. Michael Santoli, CNBC, 25 Oct. 2025 But only once has the mercantile danced with the affluent to such sensuous effect in the realm of fiction. JSTOR Daily, 18 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for affluent
Recent Examples of Synonyms for affluent
Adjective
  • Batula, 34, and Wilson, 28, are part of an ensemble cast on the Bravo show, which follows a group of friends sharing a house for the summer in the Hamptons, a wealthy enclave on Long Island, New York.
    Anna Kaufman, USA Today, 31 Mar. 2026
  • None of the myth’s subsequent retellings include evidence linking any wealthy Jewish families to Adolf Hitler’s lineage.
    Mike Rothschild, Big Think, 31 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • Instead, year-round rain and snow feed the Salt River and its tributaries.
    Shi En Kim, AZCentral.com, 31 Mar. 2026
  • Paul Faust, who lives in the Darlington area of Ligonier Township, has a small tributary to the Loyalhanna Creek in his backyard, but on Friday, that run was acting less like a stream and more like a moat.
    Chris Hoffman, CBS News, 27 Mar. 2026
Adjective
  • That night, Joost wanted to dine at a real restaurant like rich foreigners.
    Cassandra Neyenesch, New Yorker, 29 Mar. 2026
  • The exempt areas include the Red Sea tourist resorts of Hurghada, Sharm el-Sheikh, Marsa Alam, as well as the antiquities-rich southern cities of Aswan and Luxor.
    ABC News, ABC News, 29 Mar. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Affluent.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/affluent. Accessed 3 Apr. 2026.

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