This list includes 67 Simple words that start with R, from “rabbit” to “rusty”. These are short, high-frequency everyday words useful for teachers, parents, ESL learners, and early readers.
Simple words that start with R are common, easy-to-read English words beginning with the letter R. A notable example is “rabbit”, which appears often in nursery rhymes and early readers.
Below you’ll find the table with [COLUMN_NAMES].
Word: The target simple word; you use it to find spelling and scan the list quickly.
Part of speech: Shows whether the word is a noun, verb, adjective, or another type, helping you choose usage.
Definition: A concise, one-line meaning you read at a glance to understand everyday use.
Etymology: A brief origin note showing the word’s language roots and history for context.
Example: A short sentence showing the word in natural context so you can see real usage.
Notes: Extra details such as common variants, simple synonyms, or learner tips you may find helpful.
Simple words that start with R
| Word | Part of speech | Syllables | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| rabbit | noun | 2 | small furry mammal with long ears |
| race | noun | 1 | contest of speed or competition |
| radio | noun | 3 | device for wireless sound transmission |
| rain | noun | 1 | water falling from clouds |
| rainbow | noun | 2 | curved band of colors in the sky |
| raise | verb | 1 | lift up or increase |
| ran | verb | 1 | past tense of run |
| rat | noun | 1 | small rodent often found near humans |
| rate | noun | 1 | measure or speed; price per unit |
| read | verb | 1 | look at and understand written words |
| ready | adjective | 2 | prepared or available to begin |
| real | adjective | 1 | true; not fake |
| reason | noun | 2 | cause or explanation for something |
| red | adjective | 1 | color like ripe blood or an apple |
| rent | verb | 1 | pay to use something temporarily |
| rest | noun | 1 | time to relax or stop activity |
| restaurant | noun | 3 | place where people buy and eat food |
| return | verb | 2 | come or give back to a place or person |
| rice | noun | 1 | small grain used as food |
| rich | adjective | 1 | having a lot of money or resources |
| ride | verb | 1 | sit on and travel by vehicle or animal |
| right | adjective | 1 | correct or the opposite of left |
| ring | noun | 1 | circular band; sound of a bell |
| river | noun | 2 | large natural flowing watercourse |
| road | noun | 1 | paved way for vehicles and people |
| rock | noun | 1 | hard natural stone; also music genre |
| rocket | noun | 2 | vehicle that travels into space or fast object |
| roll | verb | 1 | move by turning over and over |
| roof | noun | 1 | top covering of a building |
| room | noun | 1 | space inside a building for use |
| root | noun | 1 | part of a plant under the ground; origin |
| rope | noun | 1 | thick strong string made of fibers |
| rose | noun | 1 | a common flowering plant; past of rise |
| rough | adjective | 1 | not smooth; difficult |
| round | adjective | 1 | shaped like a circle or sphere |
| route | noun | 1 | path or course taken to get somewhere |
| row | verb | 1 | move a boat with oars; argue |
| rub | verb | 1 | move something with pressure over a surface |
| rubber | noun | 2 | elastic material; eraser in British English |
| rug | noun | 1 | small carpet for a floor |
| rule | noun | 1 | statement telling how to behave; law |
| ruler | noun | 2 | tool for measuring length or person who rules |
| run | verb | 1 | move quickly on feet; operate |
| rush | verb | 1 | move very quickly or hurry |
| rust | noun | 1 | reddish flaky coating on metal |
| rusty | adjective | 2 | covered with rust; out of practice |
| ray | noun | 1 | beam of light; a marine fish |
| reach | verb | 1 | stretch out to touch or achieve |
| ribbon | noun | 2 | narrow fabric strip used for tying or decoration |
| rid | verb | 1 | free someone or something of something unwanted |
| rider | noun | 2 | person who rides an animal or vehicle |
| ripe | adjective | 1 | ready to eat (fruit) or fully developed |
| rip | verb | 1 | tear quickly or forcefully |
| roast | verb | 1 | cook food with dry heat |
| robin | noun | 2 | small songbird with red chest |
| robot | noun | 2 | machine that can do tasks automatically |
| rocky | adjective | 2 | full of rocks or unstable |
| roam | verb | 1 | move about without a fixed direction |
| roar | verb | 1 | make a very loud deep sound |
| robe | noun | 1 | loose garment worn at home or after bathing |
| rooftop | noun | 2 | top outside surface of a roof |
| rookie | noun | 2 | new person or beginner |
| ropey | adjective | 2 | informal: of poor quality or rope-like |
| roughly | adverb | 2 | approximately or in a rough manner |
| royal | adjective | 2 | relating to a king, queen, or monarchy |
| rubbery | adjective | 3 | having the texture of rubber |
| runny | adjective | 2 | flowing more than usual; liquid consistency |
Descriptions
rabbit
Common children’s animal word; used in stories and picture books. Early-reader friendly; collocates: pet rabbit, white rabbit.
race
High-frequency simple noun and verb. Appears in school texts and sports contexts; collocates: foot race, car race.
radio
Everyday household word known to children; from Latin/Old French roots. Common collocation: listen to the radio.
rain
Very common weather word taught early; used in many songs and stories. Collocates: heavy rain, rainy day.
rainbow
Popular with children; common in art and science lessons. Collocates: see a rainbow, rainbow colors.
raise
Common verb used with hands, money, voice. Collocates: raise your hand, raise prices.
ran
Very common irregular past form taught early; used in simple narratives and speech.
rat
Common animal word; appears in stories and fables. Collocates: pack rat, roof rat.
rate
Simple everyday noun/verb used in math and shopping contexts. Collocates: interest rate, high rate.
read
Core literacy verb; irregular tense. Central to early reading instruction and ESL learning.
ready
High-frequency adjective used in classrooms and daily speech. Collocates: are you ready?, ready to go.
real
Common adjective used in many contexts; simple contrast with fake or pretend.
reason
Basic vocabulary for explanations; used in classroom talk and everyday speech.
red
One of first color words taught to children; very high frequency.
rent
Common word in adult contexts but understood by teens; also noun for payment.
rest
Common everyday word used in commands and advice; collocates: take a rest, rest room.
restaurant
Widely known everyday word; appears in stories and family outings. Early readers encounter it in real-life contexts.
return
Common verb in stories and instructions. Collocates: return home, return a book.
rice
Common food word in many cultures; early learners see it in meals and recipes.
rich
Simple adjective often used in stories and comparisons; collocates: rich person, get rich.
ride
Very common action verb for children. Collocates: ride a bike, go for a ride.
right
High-frequency word with multiple senses; used in directions and judgments.
ring
Common noun/verb used in many contexts: jewelry, sounds, phones. Collocates: phone ring, gold ring.
river
Basic geography word taught in early school; appears in many stories and maps.
road
Everyday place-word; collocates: on the road, road sign.
rock
Simple concrete noun often used with verbs like throw or climb.
rocket
Familiar to children via toys and stories; collocates: space rocket, rocket ship.
roll
Common action verb used with balls, dough, and eyes. Collocates: roll over, bread roll.
roof
Basic household noun taught early; collocates: roof top, leak in the roof.
room
High-frequency household word; collocates: living room, bedroom.
root
Common science/homeword; used literally and figuratively (root cause).
rope
Simple object word used in play and work; collocates: tie with rope, jump rope.
rose
Familiar flower word; appears in poems and gardens.
rough
Common descriptor for texture and situations; collocates: rough road, rough idea.
round
Basic shape/position word used in games and descriptions.
route
Everyday travel word; pronounced different ways. Collocates: bus route, take a route.
row
Simple verb with two common senses; collocates: row a boat, have a row.
rub
Simple physical action taught to children; collocates: rub your eyes, rub cream.
rubber
Common school/household word; in British English rubber = eraser, in US it’s material.
rug
Simple household noun; collocates: throw rug, doormat.
rule
Basic social and classroom vocabulary; collocates: follow rules, house rules.
ruler
Common school tool word; collocates: 12-inch ruler, wooden ruler.
run
Core high-frequency verb central to early vocabulary. Collocates: run fast, run a business.
rush
Common action verb used in everyday scenarios; collocates: rush to school, morning rush.
rust
Simple science/homeword; appears in garage and nature contexts.
rusty
Used literally for metal and figuratively for skills (I’m rusty).
ray
Simple science and nature word; collocates: sun ray, manta ray.
reach
Basic transitive verb used in commands and goals; collocates: reach for, reach goal.
ribbon
Common craft and gift word for children; collocates: hair ribbon, ribbon on a present.
rid
Simple verb used in common phrase “get rid of”.
rider
Common noun tied to ride; collocates: bike rider, bus rider.
ripe
Simple adjective in food contexts and farming.
rip
Common verb in everyday contexts; collocates: rip paper, rip open.
roast
Common cooking verb; collocates: roast chicken, roast beef.
robin
Common bird name in children’s books and nature lessons.
robot
Familiar to children via toys and stories; 2–3 syllables depending on accent.
rocky
Simple descriptive adjective used in nature and metaphorically (rocky road).
roam
Common verb for wandering; used in stories and travel contexts.
roar
Used for animals, engines, and crowds; collocates: lion roar, crowd roars.
robe
Familiar clothing word; collocates: bathrobe, dressing robe.
rooftop
Simple compound naturalized in writing; common in stories and instructions.
rookie
Informal but common word in sports and workplaces; used with beginners.
ropey
Occasional informal adjective; less common in early-reader lists but simple.
roughly
Common adverb used in estimation and manner descriptions.
royal
Familiar from stories and history; used in children’s tales.
rubbery
Descriptive sensory adjective, used in food and material descriptions.
runny
Common word for nose or sauces; collocates: runny nose, runny yolk.