1
as in debris
discarded or useless material
the sight of piles and piles of riffraff at the town dump was a sobering reminder that we are indeed a society of consumers
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in rabble
people looked down upon as ignorant and of the lowest class
local ordinances that are intended to keep the riffraff out of the town
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of riffraff
William is ready for the task and has no intention of being killed by rebels or any other riffraff in the forests of Virginia.
—
Lincee Ray, EW.com, 8 July 2023
There’s a gate topped with barbed wire to keep the riffraff out, and then long and winding stairs down to the sea.
—Stephen Rodrick, Variety, 13 Sep. 2023
Boba turned and scanned the alcoves again, ignoring the riffraff who stared at him, and raised his eyebrows at the sight of a familiar face.
—Brian Truitt, USA TODAY, 22 Aug. 2023
The Standard’s interior is sleek yet warm and devoid of riffraff.
—Bob Carlton | Bcarlton@al.com, al, 27 July 2023
See All Example Sentences for riffraff
Lincee Ray, EW.com, 8 July 2023
There’s a gate topped with barbed wire to keep the riffraff out, and then long and winding stairs down to the sea.
—Stephen Rodrick, Variety, 13 Sep. 2023
Boba turned and scanned the alcoves again, ignoring the riffraff who stared at him, and raised his eyebrows at the sight of a familiar face.
—Brian Truitt, USA TODAY, 22 Aug. 2023
The Standard’s interior is sleek yet warm and devoid of riffraff.
—Bob Carlton | Bcarlton@al.com, al, 27 July 2023
See All Example Sentences for riffraff
Recent Examples of Synonyms for riffraff
Noun
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Those headed to Asheville can help with debris removal and rebuilding projects through All Hands and Hearts and the United Way of Asheville and Buncombe County, while Los Angeles visitors can volunteer with L.A. Works to repair homes, assemble food packages and organize clothes for survivors.—
Shoshi Parks,
Smithsonian Magazine,
14 Apr. 2025
-
Associated Press video showed the hospital’s caved-in roof surrounded by debris.—
Wafaa Shurafa and Samy Magdy,
Los Angeles Times,
13 Apr. 2025
Noun
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There was little-to-no doubt Jurgen Klopp’s side were going to defeat Ralf Rangnick’s under-interim-management rabble that day.—
Carl Anka,
The Athletic,
4 Jan. 2025
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Advertisement From start to finish, pure madness, amid a rabble that never calmed, never quieted, never quit.—
Bill Plaschke,
Los Angeles Times,
6 Oct. 2024
Noun
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Mountains of garbage are said to be visible from space and people have complained of seeing rats as big as cats in the refuse.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
8 Apr. 2025
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With the parent club, Davison has been stuck behind Derrick White, Jrue Holiday and Payton Pritchard on the backcourt depth chart, limiting him to 15 mostly garbage-time appearances this season.—
Zack Cox,
Boston Herald,
12 Apr. 2025
Noun
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From a free boat ride in the Florida Keys that targets the trash in treasured waters, to hotels with sustainability at their core, to thrilling eco-friendly experiences, make your trip to Florida both fun and impactful.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
7 Apr. 2025
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In those instances, give your extra set of hands a straightforward task, like taking out the trash or clearing the table.—
Betsy Cribb Watson,
Southern Living,
6 Apr. 2025
Noun
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In contrast to the anti-immigrant rhetoric emanating from the White House, the survey of 800 California voters portrays a populace that values the contributions of immigrants, regardless of legal status, and believes their well-being is intertwined with a well-functioning state.—
Rebecca Plevin,
Los Angeles Times,
8 Apr. 2025
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Their exodus leaves behind a populace that, like in the Weimar Republic, dismisses each authoritarian advance as temporary, necessary—or even more astonishing, somehow contained.—
John W. Dean,
MSNBC Newsweek,
7 Apr. 2025
Noun
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Inhaled silica dust particles travel down airways and into the smallest spaces of the lung, causing scarring and eventually difficulty breathing, often becoming so severe that a lung transplant might be the only solution to avoid death.—
Dr. Mark Abdelmalek,
ABC News,
10 Apr. 2025
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On the moon and Mars, dust particles are very sharp.—
Margherita Bassi,
Smithsonian Magazine,
9 Apr. 2025
Noun
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The Kansas City Star 816-234-4431 Eric Adler, at The Star since 1985, has the luxury of writing about any topic or anyone, focusing on in-depth stories about people at both the center and on the fringes of the news.—
Eric Adler,
Kansas City Star,
15 Apr. 2025
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The storm wrecked more than 200 ships, killed over 700 people, and shocked a nation reliant on the sea for its economic and military strength.—
Danny Robb,
JSTOR Daily,
14 Apr. 2025
Noun
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Other hot zones to hone in on: your junk drawer, your coffee-mug collection, and toy bins in your kid’s room.—
Petra Guglielmetti,
Glamour,
2 Apr. 2025
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The pictures depict a squalid living space, with junk strewn across furniture and floors throughout the home.—
Joseph Wilkinson,
New York Daily News,
1 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Riffraff.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/riffraff. Accessed 22 Apr. 2025.
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