rack 1 of 2

noun

Definition of racknext
1
as in bed
a place set aside for sleeping the clock struck midnight, signaling that it was time to hit the rack

Synonyms & Similar Words

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2
as in distress
a state of great suffering of body or mind suffering the rack of a sprained ankle, the climber had to make his way back down the mountain to camp felt the rack of regret after losing her temper with her teenagers

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

rack

2 of 2

verb

1
as in to plague
to cause persistent suffering to the young man was racked with guilt over the lie he had told to his parents the country has been racked by years of civil war

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to pull
to injure by overuse, misuse, or pressure she racked her brain trying to remember where she'd put the money the sails of the boat were racked by the storm's winds

Synonyms & Similar Words

Synonym Chooser

How is the word rack different from other verbs like it?

Some common synonyms of rack are afflict, torment, torture, and try. While all these words mean "to inflict on a person something that is hard to bear," rack stresses straining or wrenching.

a body racked by pain

When would afflict be a good substitute for rack?

Although the words afflict and rack have much in common, afflict is a general term and applies to the causing of pain or suffering or of acute annoyance, embarrassment, or any distress.

ills that afflict the elderly

When is it sensible to use torment instead of rack?

The meanings of torment and rack largely overlap; however, torment suggests persecution or the repeated inflicting of suffering or annoyance.

a horse tormented by flies

Where would torture be a reasonable alternative to rack?

The words torture and rack can be used in similar contexts, but torture adds the implication of causing unbearable pain or suffering.

tortured by a sense of guilt

When is try a more appropriate choice than rack?

The words try and rack are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, try suggests imposing something that strains the powers of endurance or of self-control.

children often try their parents' patience

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of rack
Noun
There are three racks of shirts and a mirror by the window, with a curtain that can create a makeshift dressing room. — Allison Morrow, CNN Money, 24 Oct. 2026 Now there are rails suspended from the ceiling and an honest-to-goodness cash register in the front, with dressing rooms and more standing racks in the back half of the space, totaling 940 square feet. — Max Berlinger, Vogue, 23 Oct. 2026
Verb
The spectacular rack-o-rib volcano is available to all fans at the Molly B’s concession stand just inside Gate 2 of the stadium. — Henri Hollis, AJC.com, 16 Sep. 2026 The immature boy-king Richard II (Woody Norman) is racked with nightmares and unable to govern. — Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 11 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for rack
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rack
  1. bed
  2. distress
  3. plague
  4. pull
  5. couch
  6. pain
  7. persecute
  8. bunk
Noun
  • Rooms There are 40 tents across 7 different accommodation types at Under Canvas Moab, all with (true to its name) canvas walls, comfy beds, and views of the surrounding landscape.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 25 Oct. 2026
  • In 2024, the university bought the 260-bed West Hills Hospital and Medical Center in the San Fernando Valley from HCA Healthcare.
    — Melody Petersen, Los Angeles Times, 25 Oct. 2026
Definition of bed
Noun
  • The rise of self-harm influencers—people for whom demonstrating their distress online has become a source of income and validation—is a terrifying new development.
    — Gavin Francis, The New York Review of Books, 24 Oct. 2026
  • CoreWeave, the leader of the pack, has seen spreads on its CDS widen past 11%, generally viewed as a distress level, as investors have to pay up for protection against default.
    — Isabel O'Brien, CNBC, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of distress
Verb
  • Deloitte-run systems have been plagued by errors that can result in eligible people losing their health coverage, previous KFF Health News investigations have shown.
    — Samantha Liss, CBS News, 20 Oct. 2026
  • The president used an antisemitic slur to defend Marshall’s history of suing patients for medical debt, a controversy that has plagued the incumbent senator in recent weeks.
    — Kacen Bayless, Kansas City Star, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of plague
Verb
  • Sellers who have the option to pull their listing off the market are generally doing so.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 26 Oct. 2026
  • Many voters thank him ​for pulling Serbia from economic obscurity and orchestrating a period of sustained modernisation including new highways, railways, schools and hospitals.
    — Reuters, NBC news, 25 Oct. 2026
Definition of pull
Noun
  • My accommodations unfolded in a graceful series of rooms with couches, a four-poster bed, and a dual-vanity bathroom.
    — Samantha Falewée, Condé Nast Traveler, 21 Oct. 2026
  • Today, thieves barely need to leave the comfort of their own couch.
    — Mike McRae October 20, New Atlas, 21 Oct. 2026
Definition of couch
Noun
  • People with large or overactive chewing muscles, often from clenching or grinding, who want to soften a bulky lower-face look or ease jaw pain.
    — Hanna Wickes, Charlotte Observer, 26 Oct. 2026
  • Cayenne pepper contains capsaicin, which may lower inflammation and pain.
    — Carrie Madormo, Verywell Health, 26 Oct. 2026
Definition of pain
Verb
  • Those governments provide assurances that people won’t be persecuted or tortured, federal attorneys said.
    — Lindsay Whitehurst, Los Angeles Times, 29 Sep. 2026
  • Also, some immigration cases involve people seeking asylum because they are being persecuted by a foreign government and releasing a person’s full name could be considered sensitive or even dangerous.
    — Laura Tillman, Hartford Courant, 11 Sep. 2026
Definition of persecute
Noun
  • The well-size main bedroom has leafy views and another decorative fireplace, although the person doing the listing’s photos has oddly chosen to hide it behind a bed; the second bedroom can easily handle a bunk-bed situation plus a sideboard.
    — Matthew Sedacca, Curbed, 19 Oct. 2026
  • The 19th century is long gone; phrenology is and was always bunk—so what lesson can the specimens teach me?
    — Daniel Barnum, Longreads, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of bunk

Phrases Containing rack

Browse Nearby Words

racists
rack
racked
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Cite this Entry

“Rack.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rack. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

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