Synonym Chooser

How is the word wealthy distinct from other similar adjectives?

Some common synonyms of wealthy are affluent, opulent, and rich. While all these words mean "having goods, property, and money in abundance," wealthy stresses the possession of property and intrinsically valuable things.

wealthy landowners

Where would affluent be a reasonable alternative to wealthy?

In some situations, the words affluent and wealthy are roughly equivalent. However, affluent suggests prosperity and an increasing wealth.

an affluent society

When would opulent be a good substitute for wealthy?

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

an opulent mansion

When might rich be a better fit than wealthy?

The words rich and wealthy 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

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 wealthy Most wealthy countries, with the U.S. and New Zealand being two notable exceptions, ban pharmaceutical drug advertisements. Andrew Stanton, MSNBC Newsweek, 12 June 2025 Eight-year-old Toha works as a child maid for a wealthy Cairo family and forms a special bond with her employer’s daughter, Nelly. Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 12 June 2025 If that stockpile isn’t maintained, wealthier states could handily outcompete poorer states for supplies during multistate emergencies, according to the Atlantic Council, which found that red states are likely to be on the losing side most. Zoë Schlanger, The Atlantic, 11 June 2025 In a report Tuesday, the group of 38 mostly wealthy nations sharply downgraded its 2025 economic growth forecast for America to 1.6% from the 2.2% projected in March and said growth would be even weaker next year. Anna Cooban, CNN Money, 3 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for wealthy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wealthy
Adjective
  • Parents in an affluent suburb, both with teenage daughters, their lives are upended when Carmack’s Tom Truby shows up at Ali’s doorstep.
    Stephen Schaefer, Boston Herald, 22 June 2025
  • Events like these will attract an affluent international audience seeking more than just the two hours of entertainment that a regular day out at the soccer provides.
    David Ferrini, Forbes.com, 21 June 2025
Adjective
  • In 2020, an extensive research review found that a diet rich in spicy peppers was associated with less obesity, heart disease, and diabetes risk.
    Matt Fuchs, Time, 17 June 2025
  • China’s lunar program, Chang’e, has successfully landed multiple robotic missions and plans to build a research base near the lunar south pole—an area rich in water ice and potentially helium-3, a rare isotope that could revolutionize energy production through nuclear fusion.
    Avery Padraic Kerrigan, Hartford Courant, 17 June 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Wealthy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wealthy. Accessed 28 Jun. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on wealthy

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!