rid
/ɹɪd/verb
rid is spelled R-I-D: 3 letters and one syllable. It appears 32 times per million words in written English, the 2,992nd most frequent word form (wordfreq, 2021 data). As a verb, rid means “Followed by of: to free (oneself or someone, or a place) from an annoyance or hindrance” (English Wiktionary, September 2026).
How many letters and syllables are in rid?
| Letters | 3: R-I-D |
|---|---|
| Syllables | 1 (from its American pronunciation) |
| In writing | 32 times per million words; the 2,992nd most frequent word form |
| Wrong spellings searched | none measured in search |
| Rhymes with | |
| Same letters |
Sources: letters and syllables from the English Wiktionary's hyphenation or pronunciation and the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary; written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media); rhymes and same-letter words are computed by PlainSpell from its own word list.
How common is rid?
Rid appears 32 times per million words in written English, the 2,992nd most frequent word form in the list.
Source: written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How do you pronounce rid?
- US /ɹɪd/
Rid has one syllable (counted from its American pronunciation in the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary).
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Recordings: En-us-rid.ogg, Wikimedia Commons (author and licence on each file's page).
What rhymes with rid?
2 words on PlainSpell end in the same sounds as rid from its last stressed vowel (/ɪd/):
Spelled with the same letters in another order: dir.
Computed by PlainSpell from the pronunciations in the English Wiktionary (dump of September 2, 2026): a rhyme shares every sound from the last stressed vowel to the end; ordered by written frequency (wordfreq 3.1).
Forms of rid
- rids present, singular, he/she/it
- ridding participle, present
- ridded past, participle, singular, he/she/it, plural
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
What does rid mean?
The meanings the English Wiktionary records, quoted as written there (source below).
verb
- 1
Followed by of: to free (oneself or someone, or a place) from an annoyance or hindrance.
I’m glad to be rid of that stupid nickname.
- 2
Followed by away, from, or out of: to remove (oneself or someone, or something, that is annoying, troublesome, or unwanted).
- 3
Often followed by from, of, or out of: to free or release, or to rescue or save, (oneself or someone, or something).
- 4
archaicTo clear (a place or way); especially, to clear (land) of trees, undergrowth, etc.
- 5
archaicSometimes followed by away: to destroy or kill (someone).
- 6
archaicSometimes followed by up: to remove obstacles or refuse from (a place); to clean, to clear out; specifically, to clear or empty (the stomach).
- 7
archaicFollowed by up: to eradicate (something); to root out, to uproot.
- 8
archaicSometimes followed by away or off: to complete or get through (a task, or work).
noun
- 1
Acronym of recognition, intrusion and distraction, three reasons why a lifeguard may fail to notice a person drowning: (a) they may fail to recognise the instinctive drowning response; (b) they may have additional duties that intrude on lifeguarding; (c) they may be distracted.
adjective
- 1
archaicobsoleteChiefly of a place: which has been ridded (etymology 1, verb sense 1.4.1) or cleared; rid-up.
- 2
archaicobsoleteAs the second word in a compound: synonym of ridden (“full of; also, dominated, oppressed, or plagued by”).
- 3
archaicobsoleteOnly in well-rid: of a horse: ridden.
noun
- 1
archaicobsoleterareProgress which has been made; also, speed.
- 2
archaicobsoleteLoose earth, rubble, etc., on the surface of a quarry which must be removed before digging can begin; rid-work.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
Rid in Spanish, French, German and Portuguese
In the sense to free (oneself or someone, or a place) from an annoyance or hindrance:
| Language | Words |
|---|---|
| French | débarrasser |
| German | befreien, vom Halse schaffen |
| Portuguese | libertar |
| Spanish | liberar |
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Translations are Wiktionary's, by sense; a linked word has its own PlainSpell page.
Where does rid come from?
The verb is derived from Middle English ridden (“to remove debris, obstructions, etc., from (a place), to clear; to complete (something unfinished); to free (someone or something); to relieve (someone); etc.”), probably from Old English *ryddan (“to remove debris, obstructions, etc., from (a place), to clear”) (the past participle form ġeryd is attested), from Proto-Germanic *riudijaną (“to clear”), from Proto-Indo-European *Hrewdʰ- (“to clear land”), or possibly from *Hrew- (“to dig out, tear out; to open; to acquire”).
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).