cacophonous

adjective

ca·​coph·​o·​nous ka-ˈkä-fə-nəs 

-ˈkȯ-

also -ˈka-

: marked by cacophony : harsh-sounding

Like an old battlefield, once cacophonous / with the clash of steel, the roar of cannon, / the screams of wounded and dying men …

—Brian Moore

cacophonously adverb

Synonyms of cacophonous

• shrill
• dissonant
• noisy
• unpleasant

Examples of cacophonous in a Sentence

the cacophonous chaos on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange

Recent Examples on the Web

Fried and the cacophonous home crowd in his proverbial corner, were a lethal combination for the Yankees in the first six innings. —Gabrielle Starr, Boston Herald, 1 Oct. 2025

Bowling at run-hungry batters on largely unforgiving pitches in vast, cacophonous stadiums with huge outfields in front of a partisan and at times baying crowd — plenty of English bowlers have found bowling in Australia akin to a Sisyphean task. —James Wallace, New York Times, 22 Sep. 2025

Mistakes do abound on Getting Killed, from cacophonous guitar skronks to stumble-drunk hi-hat taps that completely throw off a song’s rhythm. —Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 26 Aug. 2025

Cramming his wide screen with the comings and goings of a 24-character ensemble, Altman creates an incredible, cacophonous entertainment, equal parts comedy and tragedy, featuring terrific original songs and an unforgettable ending. —Samantha Bergeson, IndieWire, 18 July 2025

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from New Latin cacophōnus (borrowed from Greek kakóphōnos "disagreeable-sounding," from kako- caco- + -phōnos "having a sound [of the kind specified]," adjective derivative of phōnḗ "sound made by something living, voice, speech") + -ous — more at phono-

First Known Use

1782, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for cacophonous

• saphenous