wealthy

adjective

ˈwel-thē How to pronounce wealthy (audio)
 also  ˈwelt-thē
wealthier; wealthiest
1
: having wealth : very affluent
2
: characterized by abundance : ample
wealthily adverb
wealthiness noun
Choose the Right Synonym for wealthy

rich, wealthy, affluent, opulent mean having goods, property, and money in abundance.

rich implies having more than enough to gratify normal needs or desires.

became rich through shrewd investing

wealthy stresses the possession of property and intrinsically valuable things.

wealthy landowners

affluent suggests prosperity and an increasing wealth.

an affluent society

opulent suggests lavish expenditure and display of great wealth, more often applying to things than people.

an opulent mansion

Examples of wealthy in a Sentence

He is a wealthy entrepreneur. the wealthiest nations in the world
Recent Examples on the Web Santa Clara County encompasses Santa Clara, San Jose and its wealthy suburbs, like Milpitas and Los Gatos, as well as Mountain View, Stanford, Palo Alto, down to Gilroy in the south. Andrew Depietro, Forbes, 24 Oct. 2024 Prosecutors alleged the brothers killed their wealthy parents for financial gain. Emily Shapiro, ABC News, 24 Oct. 2024 The average number of works owned by wealthy collectors worldwide is 44, according to the survey. Robert Frank, CNBC, 24 Oct. 2024 Harris has pledged to extend most of the cuts but to raise tax rates on the very wealthiest Americans and on wealthy corporations. Daniel De Visé, USA TODAY, 24 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for wealthy 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'wealthy.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of wealthy was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near wealthy

Cite this Entry

“Wealthy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/wealthy. Accessed 5 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

wealthy

adjective
wealthier; wealthiest
1
: having wealth : rich
2
: marked by plenty : abundant
wealthiness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on wealthy

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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