boisterous

adjective

ˈbȯi-st(ə-)rəs How to pronounce boisterous (audio)
Definition of boisterousnext
as in raucous
being rough or noisy in a high-spirited way the fans at the baseball game became particularly boisterous after the home run

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How is the word boisterous different from other adjectives like it?

Some common synonyms of boisterous are blatant, clamorous, obstreperous, strident, and vociferous. While all these words mean "so loud or insistent as to compel attention," boisterous suggests a noisiness and turbulence due to high spirits.

a boisterous crowd of party goers

When would blatant be a good substitute for boisterous?

The words blatant and boisterous can be used in similar contexts, but blatant implies an offensive bellowing or insensitive loudness.

blatant rock music
a blatant clamor for impeachment

When is it sensible to use clamorous instead of boisterous?

While in some cases nearly identical to boisterous, clamorous may imply insistency as well as vociferousness in demanding or protesting.

clamorous demands for prison reforms

In what contexts can obstreperous take the place of boisterous?

The meanings of obstreperous and boisterous largely overlap; however, obstreperous suggests unruly and aggressive noisiness and resistance to restraint.

the obstreperous demonstrators were arrested

Where would strident be a reasonable alternative to boisterous?

While the synonyms strident and boisterous are close in meaning, strident suggests harsh and discordant noise.

heard the strident cry of the crow

When is vociferous a more appropriate choice than boisterous?

In some situations, the words vociferous and boisterous are roughly equivalent. However, vociferous implies a vehement shouting or calling out.

vociferous cries of protest and outrage

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 boisterous The other Jaylin Williams will be in a boisterous section with Lu Dort and the other younger Thunder players but also often parrying back and forth with his namesake and Gilgeous-Alexander. —John Hollinger, New York Times, 16 June 2025 Fortunately, the board rejected the proposal at a boisterous public meeting this month. —The Editorial Board, Oc Register, 15 June 2025 The city’s downtown has seen a variety of protests, from quiet to boisterous. —Carlos Rodriguez, Chicago Tribune, 14 June 2025 The French Open crowd is also known for being among the most boisterous on the tennis calendar. —Rosa De Acosta, CNN Money, 6 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for boisterous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for boisterous
  1. raucous
  2. rowdy
  3. rambunctious
  4. lively
  5. rumbustious
  6. noisy
  7. rollicking
  8. violent
Adjective
  • Reporters were not allowed to attend the meeting, but the raucous crowd could be heard from outside.
    — Vanessa Romo, NPR, 7 July 2025
  • Johnson was then lauded with the award statuette, to another round of raucous applause.
    — Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 6 July 2025
Definition of raucous
Adjective
  • The doc contains lots of footage of the rowdy crowd.
    — Olivia B. Waxman, Time, 8 July 2025
  • More toward the rowdy end are the closet-sized bars of Shinjuku’s Golden Gai, a warren of grungy alleys home to snug drinking holes with obscure themes and idiosyncratic bartender-owners.
    — Jessica Kozuka, Travel + Leisure, 6 July 2025
Definition of rowdy
Adjective
  • This Supe has a best friend and wildly enthusiastic companion in rambunctious flying canine Krypto, a CGI marvel.
    — Stephen Schaefer, Boston Herald, 7 July 2025
  • The Oilers could sign Patrick Kane as a free agent, but may eschew that kind of move in favour of a more rambunctious winger.
    — Allan Mitchell, New York Times, 20 June 2025
Definition of rambunctious
Adjective
  • In February, a lively and well-attended protest march took over the streets of downtown McAllen; a news site compared it to a celebration after a high-school-football victory.
    — Rachel Monroe, New Yorker, 7 July 2025
  • The music was lively, and the people were friendly.
    — Chicago Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 5 July 2025
Definition of lively
Adjective
  • Around this time, the outfit’s quirky, lightly rumbustious songs began to resonate across British press and radio; accessible while containing a marked dose of strangeness, Fontaine’s songwriting – at once emotionally raw and witty – boasted a strong multi-generational appeal.
    — Sophie Williams, Billboard, 8 May 2025
  • The movie is both exquisite and rumbustious, stylized and energized.
    — Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 5 May 2022
Definition of rumbustious
Adjective
  • The world is crowded, noisy, and sometimes hostile.
    — F. Willis Johnson, Twin Cities, 10 July 2025
  • The negatives included noisy wheels and some faulty stitching.
    — Olivia Young, Travel + Leisure, 9 July 2025
Definition of noisy
Adjective
  • Joy’s jazzy, smoky version of the Marvin Gaye classic, coupled with her velvety vocals, sparked another rollicking ovation led by John who was the first to stand up.
    — Gail Mitchell, Billboard, 4 Feb. 2023
  • His setlist, a rollicking walk-down-memory-lane of solo hits, NKOTB favorites, standards, show tunes and cover songs, showcased his range as an entertainer, musical virtuoso and keen collaborator.
    — Sonal Dutt, Peoplemag, 23 Jan. 2023
Definition of rollicking
Adjective
  • The two got married, had a baby, and started a quiet life together far away from his violent past.
    — Allison DeGrushe Published, EW.com, 14 July 2025
  • As droves of tourists continue to flock to Spain for European summer vacations, the nation’s emergency responders are dealing with the aftermath of a violent wave of flash flooding in nearly half of the country’s 50 provinces.
    — Opheli Garcia Lawler, Travel + Leisure, 14 July 2025
Definition of violent

Browse Nearby Words

boils over
boisterous
boisterously
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Boisterous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/boisterous. Accessed 18 Jul. 2025.

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