racy

1 of 2

adjective (1)

ˈrā-sē 

racier; raciest

1

a

: full of zest or vigor

b

: having a strongly marked quality : piquant

a racy flavor

c

: risqué, suggestive

racy jokes

2

: having the distinctive quality of something in its original or most characteristic form

racily

ˈrā-sə-lē 

adverb

raciness

ˈrā-sē-nəs 

noun

racy

2 of 2

adjective (2)

racier; raciest

: having a body or shape that is suited for racing

a racy dog

a car with racy lines

Synonyms

Adjective (1)

• active
• airy
• animate
• animated
• bouncing
• brisk
• energetic
• frisky
• gay
• jaunty
• jazzy
• kinetic
• lively
• mettlesome
• peppy
• perky
• pert
• pizzazzy
• pizazzy
• snappy
• spanking
• sparky
• spirited
• sprightly
• springy
• vital
• vivacious
• zippy

Choose the Right Synonym for racy

pungent, piquant, poignant, racy mean sharp and stimulating to the mind or the senses.

pungent implies a sharp, stinging, or biting quality especially of odors.

a cheese with a pungent odor

piquant suggests a power to whet the appetite or interest through tartness or mild pungency.

a piquant sauce

poignant suggests something is sharply or piercingly effective in stirring one's emotions.

felt a poignant sense of loss

racy implies having a strongly characteristic natural quality fresh and unimpaired.

spontaneous, racy prose

Examples of racy in a Sentence

Adjective (1)

vivid writing and a racy plot that keeps readers turning the pages

a raunchy comedy with language that was a little too racy for an eight-year-old child

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

The actor, 43, revealed that his racy Netflix Christmas movie The Merry Gentlemen, which features plenty of shirtless dancing, has an even saucier cut while speaking with Interview magazine. —Chiara Kim, People.com, 15 Dec. 2024

The question is timely, given the unmistakable upwelling of investor enthusiasm toward equities in recent weeks and a reignited impulse by traders to grab for the raciest assets. —Michael Santoli, CNBC, 7 Dec. 2024

YouTube/Screenshot by NPR The New York City priest who was disciplined last year for letting pop star Sabrina Carpenter film a racy music video inside his church is now being accused of mishandling nearly $2 million in parish funds. —Rachel Treisman, NPR, 20 Nov. 2024

Zoey Deutch, who recently made her Broadway debut in a production of Thornton Wilder's Our Town, found herself in an embarrassing situation when an opening night gift to her classmates unwittingly tapped into a racy backstage tradition. —Ryan Coleman, EW.com, 20 Nov. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Adjective (1)

race entry 1

Adjective (2)

race entry 2

First Known Use

Adjective (1)

circa 1650, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Adjective (2)

1841, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

racy

1 of 2 adjective

ˈrā-sē 

racier; raciest

1

: full of energy or keen enjoyment

2

: slightly indecent or improper

racy jokes

racily

-sə-lē 

adverb

raciness

-sē-nəs 

noun

racy

2 of 2 adjective

racier; raciest

: being long-bodied and lean