Meaning & use
raffish
Last updated
Meanings
adjectivecomparable
Looking slightly untidy or unconventional in a way that seems stylish or attractive.
Grammar: Used before a noun or after linking verbs: a raffish look, he looked raffish.
Patterns
- a raffish appearance
- look raffish
- raffish charm
He wore a raffish old hat and a coat with the collar turned up.
The bar had a raffish charm that attracted artists and writers.
She liked his raffish smile and the way he never seemed to follow the rules.
adjectivecomparable
Behaving in a way that is slightly disreputable or not respectable, but often in an appealing manner.
Grammar: Often describes people or their behavior; can suggest a mild moral looseness.
Patterns
- raffish behavior
- a raffish character
- raffish lifestyle
His raffish behavior at the party shocked some of the older guests.
The novel's hero is a raffish adventurer with a questionable past.
They were drawn to his raffish lifestyle, full of late nights and risky bets.
Word forms
| comparative | more raffish |
|---|---|
| superlative | most raffish |
Common combinations
- raffish charm
- The old hotel had a raffish charm that made it popular with bohemians.
- raffish appearance
- Despite his raffish appearance, he was a careful and reliable worker.
- look raffish
- With his unbuttoned shirt, he looked raffish and carefree.
- raffish character
- The film features a raffish character who lives on the edge of the law.
Synonyms and how they differ
- rakish
- Similar to raffish but often suggests a more deliberate, dashing style, especially in a man's appearance.
- disreputable
- Stronger and more negative; it means not respected and possibly dishonest, without the attractive quality that raffish can have.
- unconventional
- Focuses on not following usual customs, but does not necessarily suggest a stylish or slightly bad side.
Opposites
Word family
- raffishly adverb
- In a raffish manner.
- raffishness noun
- The quality of being raffish.
Commonly confused: raffish or rubbish?
raffish vs rubbish
Rubbish means waste or nonsense; raffish describes a stylishly unconventional appearance or behavior.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'raffish' correctly?
Choose one answer.
Raffish is an adjective describing a slightly unconventional, stylish person or thing. Option 1 is wrong because tidy and clean do not fit the meaning. Option 3 uses it as a verb, which it is not. Option 4 uses it as a noun, which is also incorrect.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “raffish”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.