/ Dictionary / Index R rat race: Meaning and Definition of Find definitions for: rat' race" Pronunciation: [key] — Informal. Informal. any exhausting, unremitting, and usually competitive activity or routine, esp. a pressured urban working life spent trying to get ahead with little time left for leisure, contemplation, etc. Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease. ratoon ratsbane Related Content Daily Word Quiz: designate Analogy of the Day: Today’s Analogy Spelling Bee: Today’s Spelling Bee Frequently Misspelled Words Frequently Mispronounced Words Easily Confused Words Writing & Language