rakish

1 of 2

adjective (1)

rak·​ish ˈrā-kish How to pronounce rakish (audio)
: of, relating to, or characteristic of a rake : dissolute

rakish

2 of 2

adjective (2)

1
: having a trim or streamlined appearance suggestive of speed
a rakish ship
2
: dashingly or carelessly unconventional : jaunty
rakish clothes

Examples of rakish in a Sentence

Adjective (1) within a few short years their rakish son had squandered the family fortune on hard liquor and fast cars
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Adjective
However, larger dogs will struggle for headroom because of the BYD Sealion 7’s rakish roofline. Matthew MacConnell, Forbes.com, 9 Apr. 2025 The rakish womanizer has mellowed with age only insofar as he’s graduated from dating 20ish models to a 20ish poet, healer and model. David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 3 Sep. 2019 The customary rakish millinery and the supporting costume for the Grand National are as honed and extravagantly 19th-century as the racing. Guy Martin, Forbes.com, 7 Apr. 2025 That bicorne, worn at a rakish, sideways angle, as synonymous with him as his battlefield victories. Lysanne Currie, Forbes, 11 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for rakish

Word History

Etymology

Adjective (1)

rake entry 5

Adjective (2)

probably from rake entry 4; from the raking masts of pirate ships

First Known Use

Adjective (1)

1696, in the meaning defined above

Adjective (2)

1824, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of rakish was in 1696

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Rakish.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rakish. Accessed 4 Jun. 2025.

Kids Definition

rakish

1 of 2 adjective
rak·​ish ˈrā-kish How to pronounce rakish (audio)
: of or resembling that of a rake : dissolute
rakishly adverb
rakishness noun

rakish

2 of 2 adjective
1
: having a trim or streamlined look that suggests speed
a rakish ship
a rakish sports car
2
: jaunty, dashing
rakish clothes
rakishly adverb
rakishness noun
Etymology

Adjective

from rake "libertine"

Adjective

from earlier rake "the amount of slope or lean of a ship's mast or the amount of overhang of a ship's bow"

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