rich

[Ju]

1. He is rich.

2. He is wealthy

A. What are the differences between the above sentences?
____________________________________________________

3. He is a rich man.

4. He is a wealthy man.

B. What are the differences between the above sentences?

____________________________________________________

ju

 

[nyota]

This should help (Longman):

Rich is a very direct way of saying that someone has a lot of money and possessions
• one of the richest women in America

Well-off means fairly rich, so you can buy most things. People are more likely to describe themselves as 'well-off' than 'rich'
• My parents were pretty well-off.

Wealthy is a slightly more formal word meaning rich, especially over a long period of time
• He came from a wealthy family.

 

[Raymott]

1. He is rich.

2. He is wealthy

A. What are the differences between the above sentences?
____________________________________________________

3. He is a rich man.

4. He is a wealthy man.

B. What are the differences between the above sentences?

____________________________________________________

ju

There's no real difference. If you're wealthy, you're rich, and vice versa.

 

[Barb_D]

In American culture, there is something slightly vulgar about the word "rich." As Longman says, it's a very direct way of saying it, and we tend not to talk directly about personal money very often.

 

[Raymott]

In American culture, there is something slightly vulgar about the word "rich." As Longman says, it's a very direct way of saying it, and we tend not to talk directly about personal money very often.

Is that why they have a Forbes Not-So-Poor List and "Lifestyles of the Comfortably-off and Famous"? :-D

 

[Barb_D]

In the third-person, abstract, "don't really know them" way, it's fine.

But if I'm travelling with you to visit your uncle and it's clear by the size of his house and the things I can see around me that he has a lot of money, I wouldn't say "Wow! You never told me your uncle was so rich!" I'd say "Oh, your uncle must be very well off!"

Realize that the Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous treats them in a vaguely contemptible way, sometime (not so subtly) pointing out their vanities and conceits.

When referring to people you know (and like), in the US, you really don't say "rich" very often. Wealthy, very comfortable, quite well off, etc.

It's not a coincidence that "filthy" and "rich" go together while "filthy well off" does not. It's not that it's not said. It's just a bit... well, like I said before, vulgar to refer to being rich, and that doesn't extend to being "well off."

 

[Ju]

Is that why they have a Forbes Not-So-Poor List and "Lifestyles of the Comfortably-off and Famous"? :-D

sorry, I don't get what does it mean of Forbes Not-So-Poor List and "Lifestyles of the Comfortably-off and Famous"?


ju

 

[Barb_D]

Both of those have the word "Rich" in their titles, not the othe phrases.