Words beginning with R

197 words

• radical — affecting the fundamental nature of something; favouring extreme change
• raid — a sudden surprise inspection or attack
• rally — a mass public meeting; to recover strength
• ramification — a complex consequence of an action
• rampage — a period of violent and destructive behaviour
• rampant — spreading unchecked, out of control
• rancour — long-lasting bitterness or resentment
• random — chosen without any set pattern
• ransom — money demanded for the release of a captive
• rapacious — greedily grasping, especially for money
• rapport — a relationship of mutual understanding
• rapprochement — the re-establishment of friendly relations
• rash — acting without thinking of the consequences
• ratify — to give formal approval to an agreement
• ration — a fixed allowance of food or fuel
• rationale — the reasoning behind a decision
• rationalise — to reorganise something to make it more efficient
• ravage — to cause severe damage to a place
• reactionary — strongly opposed to social or political change
• reasonable — fair and based on good sense
• rebate — a partial refund or reduction in an amount payable
• rebellion — organised armed or open resistance to authority
• rebuff — a blunt refusal of an offer or request
• rebuke — to criticise sharply and officially
• rebut — to prove a claim or charge to be false
• recalcitrant — stubbornly refusing to obey authority
• recall — to call back or withdraw; to remember
• recant — to publicly withdraw a statement one made earlier
• recast — to reorganise something into a new form
• recede — to move back or become smaller
• receptive — willing to consider new ideas
• recess — a period during which a body suspends business
• recession — a period of general decline in economic activity
• recipient — a person who receives something
• reciprocal — given and received in return by both sides
• reckless — acting without thinking of the danger
• reckon — to consider or calculate
• reclaim — to recover land or material for use again
• reclamation — the recovery of land for productive use
• recognition — formal acknowledgement of status or achievement
• recompense — payment made to make up for loss or effort
• reconcile — to make two conflicting things or people agree
• reconciliation — the settling of differences; the matching of accounts
• reconnaissance — a preliminary survey to gather information
• reconsider — to think again about a decision
• reconstruct — to build again or piece together what happened
• recourse — a source of help that can be turned to
• recruit — to enrol new people into an organisation
• recruitment — the process of taking new people into service
• rectify — to correct something that is wrong
• rectitude — morally correct behaviour
• recuperate — to recover after illness or loss
• recurrent — happening again and again
• redeem — to make up for a fault; to buy back
• redistribute — to share something out again on a different basis
• redress — remedy for a wrong; to set right
• reduction — the act of making something smaller in amount
• redundant — not needed, superfluous
• referendum — a direct vote by the electorate on a single question
• refine — to improve something by making small changes
• reform — a change made to improve a system
• refrain — to hold oneself back from doing something
• refuge — shelter from danger or trouble
• refurbish — to renovate and redecorate something
• refute — to prove a statement or theory wrong
• regenerate — to bring new life or growth to something
• regime — a system of government or of regulation
• regressive — moving backwards; falling more heavily on the poor
• regularise — to give lawful status to something done irregularly
• regulate — to control an activity by rules
• rehabilitate — to restore someone to a normal life or place
• reimburse — to pay back money that someone has spent
• reinforce — to make something stronger
• reinstate — to restore someone to a post held earlier
• reiterate — to say something again for emphasis
• rejoinder — a sharp reply to a criticism
• rejuvenate — to make something young or vigorous again
• relapse — to fall back into a previous bad condition
• relaxation — an easing of a rule or condition
• relegate — to move someone or something to a lower position
• relentless — never stopping or weakening
• relevance — the quality of being closely connected to the matter at hand
• reliable — able to be trusted to perform consistently
• reliance — dependence on someone or something
• relic — something surviving from an earlier time
• relief — assistance given to those in distress
• relinquish — to give up a right, post or claim
• reluctant — unwilling and hesitant
• remand — to send an accused person back into custody
• remedial — intended to correct a fault or weakness
• remedy — a means of correcting a wrong or curing an ill
• remission — a reduction of a sentence, debt or penalty
• remit — to send money; to refer a matter back to a lower authority
• remnant — a small part left after the rest has gone
• remote — far away and difficult to reach; slight
• remuneration — payment for work done
• render — to give or provide, especially a service or decision
• renew — to extend the validity of something
• renounce — to formally give up a claim, title or practice
• renovation — the act of repairing and improving a structure
• renowned — well known and admired
• renunciation — the formal giving up of a right or claim
• reorganise — to arrange something in a different and better way
• reparation — compensation paid for wrong or damage done
• repatriate — to send someone back to their own country
• repeal — to withdraw a law formally
• repercussion — an indirect and usually unwelcome consequence
• replacement — a person or thing that takes the place of another
• replenish — to fill something up again
• replete — filled or well supplied with something
• reprehensible — deserving strong criticism
• repress — to keep something under forcible control
• reprieve — a temporary relief from punishment or trouble
• reprimand — a formal expression of disapproval
• reprisal — an act of retaliation
• reproach — to express disapproval of someone
• repudiate — to refuse to accept or be associated with something
• reputation — the general opinion held about someone
• requisite — required by circumstance or rule
• requisition — an official demand for the use of property or services
• rescind — to cancel an order or agreement officially
• rescue — to save someone from danger
• resemble — to be similar to something else
• resentment — bitter feeling at being treated unfairly
• reservation — a share of seats or posts kept for a specified group
• reserve — to keep something for a particular purpose or group
• reservoir — a large store of water or of anything held in reserve
• reshuffle — a rearrangement of posts among the same set of people
• residual — remaining after the main part is gone
• residue — what is left over after a process
• resign — to give up one’s post voluntarily
• resilient — able to recover quickly
• resistance — refusal to accept or comply with something
• resolute — firmly determined
• resolution — a formal decision taken by a body; firmness of purpose
• resolve — firmness of purpose; to settle a difficulty
• resort — to turn to a course of action because no other is left
• resource — a supply of money, material or people that can be drawn on
• respite — a short period of rest or relief
• respondent — the party against whom a case or appeal is filed
• restitution — the return of property or compensation for loss
• restive — restless and difficult to control
• restoration — the act of bringing something back to its former state
• restrain — to hold back from action
• restraint — self-control; a limit placed on action
• restrict — to keep something within limits
• restructure — to organise something on a different basis
• resurgence — a revival after a period of decline
• retain — to continue to keep something
• retaliate — to hit back after being harmed
• retention — the act of keeping something, especially students or records
• reticent — unwilling to say much
• retirement — the act of leaving service on reaching a certain age
• retract — to take back something one has said
• retrench — to reduce costs, especially by cutting staff
• retrieve — to get something back or recover data
• retrograde — moving backwards to a worse state
• retrospective — taking effect from a date in the past
• revamp — to give something a new and better form
• reveal — to make previously unknown information known
• revenge — harm inflicted in return for an injury
• revenue — income received by a government or business
• reverberate — to have a strong continuing effect
• revere — to respect deeply
• reverence — deep respect for someone or something
• reversal — a change to the opposite direction or decision
• reverse — to change a decision to its opposite
• revert — to return to a previous state or post
• revision — a change made to improve an existing document or figure
• revitalise — to give new strength to something
• revival — the return of something to life or use
• revoke — to cancel a licence, permission or order
• revolt — to rise up against authority
• revolution — a complete and forcible change in a system
• rhetoric — impressive language that may lack substance
• ridicule — to make fun of someone in a cruel way
• rife — widespread, especially of something bad
• rift — a serious break in friendly relations
• righteous — morally right and justified
• rigid — not able to be changed or bent
• rigorous — extremely thorough and strict
• rigour — strictness and thoroughness
• riot — a violent disturbance by a crowd
• rival — a person or body competing for the same thing
• robust — strong and able to withstand difficulty
• roster — a list showing the order of duty or reservation
• rotation — a regular turn-by-turn arrangement
• routine — a regular way of doing things
• royalty — a payment made for the use of a resource or right
• rudimentary — basic and undeveloped
• ruling — an authoritative decision by a court or presiding officer
• ruminate — to think deeply about something
• rumour — unverified information passed from person to person
• rupture — a break or split, in a pipe or in relations
• rural — relating to the countryside rather than the town
• ruse — a trick used to deceive someone
• ruthless — having no pity