- raconteur Dictionary lookup
(n.) a person skilled at telling stories
Our entertainment was a raconteur who told a story of talking animals. - ramification Dictionary lookup
(n.) the arrangement of branches; consequence
One of the ramifications of driving fast is getting a speeding ticket. - rampant Dictionary lookup
(adj.) growing unchecked; widespread
Social unrest was rampant because of the lack of food available to the people. - rampart Dictionary lookup
(n.; v.) a defense; to defend
The ramparts where beginning to crumble. - rancid Dictionary lookup
(adj.) having a bad odor
Left out too long, the meat turned rancid. - rancor Dictionary lookup
(n.) strong ill will; enmity
Her rancor for the man was evident in her hateful expression.
Sure they had their disagreements, but there was no rancor between them. - rant Dictionary lookup
(v.) to speak in a loud, pompous manner; rave
He disputed the bill with the shipper, ranting that he was dealing with thieves.
- rapacious Dictionary lookup
(adj.) using force to take
Rapacious actions were needed to take the gun from the intruder. - ratify Dictionary lookup
(v.) to make valid; confirm
The Senate ratified the new law that would prohibit companies from discriminating according to race in their hiring practices.
Hunters were called in to rarefy the deer population. - rationalize Dictionary lookup
(v.) to offer reasons for; account for on rational grounds
His daughter attempted to rationalize why she had dropped out of college, but she could not give any good reasons. - raucous Dictionary lookup
(adj.) disagreeable to the sense of hearing; harsh; hoarse
The raucous protesters stayed on the street corner all night, shouting their disdain for the whale killers. - raze Dictionary lookup
(v.) to scrape or shave off; to obliterate or tear down completely
The plow will raze the ice from the road surface.
It must be time to give the cat a manicure; she razed my skin last night.
They will raze the old Las Vegas hotel to make room for a $2.5 billion gambling palace. - realm Dictionary lookup
(n.) an area; sphere of activity
In the realm of health care, the issue of who pays and how is never far from the surface.
The bounding islands were added to the realm of the kingdom. - rebuff Dictionary lookup
(n.) a blunt refusal to offered help
The rebuff of her aid plan came as a shock. - recalcitrant Dictionary lookup
(adj.) stubbornly rebellious
The boy became recalcitrant when the curfew was enforced.
The recalcitrant youth dyed her hair purple, dropped out of school, and generally worked hard at doing whatever others did not want her to do. - recidivism Dictionary lookup
(n.) habitual or chronic relapse of criminal or antisocial offenses
Even after intense therapy the parolee experienced several episodes of recidivism, and was eventually sent back to prison. - recluse Dictionary lookup
(adj.; n.) solitary; a person who lives secluded
His recluse life seems to make him happy.
Howard Hughes, among the most famous and enigmatic figures of the 20th century, ultimately retreated to a life as a recluse. - recondite Dictionary lookup
(adj.) hard to understand; concealed
The students were dumbfounded by the recondite topic.
Many scientific theories are recondite, and therefore not known at all by the general public. - recumbent Dictionary lookup
(adj.) resting
The recumbent puppy stirred. - recusant Dictionary lookup
(adj.) disobedient of authority
Recusant inmates may be denied privileges. - redolent Dictionary lookup
(adj.) sweet-smelling; having the odor of a particular thing
The redolent aroma of the pie tempted everyone.
The restaurant was redolent with the smell of spices. - redundant Dictionary lookup
(adj.) wordy; repetitive; unnecessary to the meaning
The redundant lecture of the professor repeated the lesson in the text.
Her comments were both redundant and sarcastic.
With millions of transactions at stake, the bank built a redundant processing center on a separate power grid. - refurbish Dictionary lookup
(v.) to make new; renovate
The Newsomes are refurbishing their old colonial home with the help of an interior designer. - refute Dictionary lookup
(v.) challenge; disprove
He refuted the proposal, deeming it unfair - regal Dictionary lookup
(adj.) royal; grand
The regal home was lavishly decorated and furnished with European antiques.
The well-bred woman behaves in a regal manner. - reiterate Dictionary lookup
(v.) to repeat again
Rose found that she had to reiterate almost everything, leading her to fear her husband was going deaf.
If you did not hear me the first time, I will reiterate the directions for you. - relegate Dictionary lookup
(v.) banish; put to a lower position
With Internal Affairs launching an investigation into charges that Officer Wicker had harassed a suspect, he was relegated to desk duty.
- relevant Dictionary lookup
(adj.) of concern; significant
Asking applicants about their general health is relevant since much of the job requires physical strength. - relinquish Dictionary lookup
(v.) to let go; abandon
House Speaker Jim Wright had to relinquish his position after an ethics investigation undermined his authority. - remonstrate Dictionary lookup
(v.) to protest or object to
The population will remonstrate against the new taxes. - remorse Dictionary lookup
(n.) guilt; sorrow
The prosecutor argued that the defendant had shown no remorse for his actions. - renascence Dictionary lookup
(n.) a new life; rebirth
The renascence of the band resulted in a new recording contract. - render Dictionary lookup
(v.) deliver; provide
The Yorkville First Aid Squad was first on the scene to render assistance. - renegade Dictionary lookup
(n.) a person who abandons something, as a religion, cause or movement; a traitor
Benedict Arnold remains one of the most notorious renegades in American history. - repast Dictionary lookup
(n.) food that is eaten
The repast consisted of cheese, wine, and bread - replete Dictionary lookup
(adj.) well supplied
The kitchen came replete with food and utensils. - replica Dictionary lookup
(n.) copy; representation; reproduction
The equine sculpture was a replica of a Remington. - reproach Dictionary lookup
(v.) to blame and thus make feel ashamed; to rebuke
The major reproached his troops for not following orders. - reprobate Dictionary lookup
(v.) to condemn; to reject
The teacher will reprobate the actions of the delinquent student.
His assertions were reprobated as inappropriate. - reproof Dictionary lookup
(n.) a rebuke
For all his hard work, all he got was a reproof of his efforts. - repudiate Dictionary lookup
(v.) to disown; to deny support for; reject; cancel
The man will repudiate all claims that he was involved in the deal.
Although his party supported the bill, this senator repudiated it.
The offer was repudiated because of its cost. - repugnant Dictionary lookup
(adj.) inconsistent; resistance
The repugnant actions of the man made others lose trust in him.
Despite their efforts to convince her, she remained repugnant. - resilient Dictionary lookup
(adj.) flexible; capable of withstanding stress
The elderly man attributed his resilient health to a good diet and frequent exercise. - resolution Dictionary lookup
(n.) proposal; promise; determination
Former U.S. Senator George Mitchell journeyed to Ireland to help bring about a peaceful resolution to years of strife. - respite Dictionary lookup
(n.) recess; rest period
The workers talked and drank coffee during the respite.
The team was given a respite from the long practice schedule. - resplendent Dictionary lookup
(adj.) dazzling and shining
Her new diamond was resplendent in the sunshine. - resurgent Dictionary lookup
(adj.) rising or tending to rise again
A resurgent wave of enthusiasm erupted from the once quiet crowd. - reticent Dictionary lookup
(adj.) silent; reserved; shy
The reticent girl played with her building blocks while the other children played tag.
It was difficult to get the reticent boy to join the conversation. - reverent Dictionary lookup
(adj.) respectful; feeling or showing deep love, respect, or awe
The congregation was very reverent of its spiritual leader. - revile Dictionary lookup
(v.) to be abusive in speech
It is not appropriate for a teacher to revile a student. - rhapsodize Dictionary lookup
(v.) to speak or write in a very enthusiastic manner
Hearing the general rhapsodize about his time as a plebe sent a wave of recognition through the academy grads. - rivet Dictionary lookup
(v.) to secure; to hold firmly, as in eyes
We can rivet the boat to the dock.
She could not look away from the morbid scene; she was riveted to it. - roseate Dictionary lookup
(adj.) rose-colored
The roseate sunset faded into the sky. - rout Dictionary lookup
(n.; v.) a noisy or disorderly crowd; a retreat or terrible defeat; to dig up
The rout kept the police busy all morning with crowd control.
The Scarlet Knights beat the Fighting Irish in a rout, 56-14.
I need to rout the backyard in order to put in the pipes. - rudimentary Dictionary lookup
(adj.) elementary
Adding two plus two is a rudimentary activity. - ruffian Dictionary lookup
(n.) tough person or a hoodlum
Contrary to popular opinion, ruffians are nothing new in the city. - ruminate Dictionary lookup
(v.) to consider carefully
The doctor will ruminate on his diagnosis.
Facing a tough decision, he decided to ruminate before making his thoughts known. - rummage Dictionary lookup
(v.) search thoroughly
Determined to find his college yearbook, he rummaged through every box in the garage. - rustic Dictionary lookup
(adj.) plain and unsophisticated; homely; of or living in the country
The president enjoyed spending weekends at Camp David, a rustic retreat in the Catoctin Mountains of Maryland.