vociferous

adjective

vo·​cif·​er·​ous vō-ˈsi-f(ə-)rəs 

: marked by or given to vehement insistent outcry

vociferously adverb

vociferousness noun

Did you know?

Hear ye! Hear ye! To vociferate is "to cry out loudly" so it’s perhaps unsurprising that the adjective vociferous is used to describe those who are loud and proud, who show their support or displeasure for something or someone by hootin' and hollerin'. Both vociferate and vociferous come from the Latin vociferari, a combining of vox, meaning "voice," with ferre, meaning "to carry." In addition to describing loud and insistent individuals and groups—critics, crowds, fans, et al.—vociferous can be used for anything characterized by loud insistence, as in "vociferous complaints," "a vociferous defense," and "vociferous support."

Synonyms

• blatant
• caterwauling
• clamant
• clamorous
• obstreperous
• squawking
• vociferant
• vociferating
• yawping
• yauping
• yowling

Choose the Right Synonym for vociferous

vociferous, clamorous, blatant, strident, boisterous, obstreperous mean so loud or insistent as to compel attention.

vociferous implies a vehement shouting or calling out.

vociferous cries of protest and outrage

clamorous may imply insistency as well as vociferousness in demanding or protesting.

clamorous demands for prison reforms

blatant implies an offensive bellowing or insensitive loudness.

blatant rock music

a blatant clamor for impeachment

strident suggests harsh and discordant noise.

heard the strident cry of the crow

boisterous suggests a noisiness and turbulence due to high spirits.

a boisterous crowd of party goers

obstreperous suggests unruly and aggressive noisiness and resistance to restraint.

the obstreperous demonstrators were arrested

Examples of vociferous in a Sentence

He is her most vociferous critic.

He was vociferous in his support of the proposal.

The decision was made over their vociferous objections.

Recent Examples on the Web

The coalition of gun rights proponents challenging the ban has offered vociferous rebuttals to the state’s arguments. —Kevin Rector, Los Angeles Times, 11 June 2024

And with the pro-business liberals and greens set for losses, the EPP’s von der Leyen wants to keep her options open for coalition building, including Meloni, over the vociferous objections of her outgoing allies. —Eli Joseph, Fortune Europe, 5 June 2024

His increasingly authoritarian turn — with a crackdown on dissent that has created a chilling environment of self-censorship — has pushed India’s vociferous democracy closer to a one-party state, his critics say. —Pragati K.b. Atul Loke, New York Times, 4 June 2024

The difference is that there are now increasingly vociferous groups, close to power in Beijing, that want the CCP to exercise its alleged right to claim Taiwan. —Odd Arne Westad, Foreign Affairs, 1 June 2021

Word History

First Known Use

1700, in the meaning defined above

Podcast

Get Word of the Day delivered to your inbox!

Kids Definition

vociferous

adjective

vo·​cif·​er·​ous vō-ˈsif-(ə-)rəs 

: making a loud outcry : noisy, clamorous

vociferously adverb