Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective stentorian contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of stentorian are earsplitting, loud, raucous, and strident. While all these words mean "marked by intensity or volume of sound," stentorian implies great power and range.

an actor with a stentorian voice

When is earsplitting a more appropriate choice than stentorian?

While in some cases nearly identical to stentorian, earsplitting implies loudness that is physically discomforting.

the earsplitting sound of a siren

When can loud be used instead of stentorian?

The meanings of loud and stentorian largely overlap; however, loud applies to any volume above normal and may suggest undue vehemence or obtrusiveness.

loud shouts of protest

When could raucous be used to replace stentorian?

The synonyms raucous and stentorian are sometimes interchangeable, but raucous implies a loud harsh grating tone, especially of voice, and may suggest rowdiness.

the raucous shouts of drunken revelers

When might strident be a better fit than stentorian?

The words strident and stentorian can be used in similar contexts, but strident implies a rasping discordant but insistent quality, especially of voice.

the strident voices of hecklers

Examples of stentorian in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Filmed while pregnant with her first daughter, the comedian cracks wry, filthy, and culturally specific jokes in a stentorian voice with equal shades of formidability and shrewd wit. Eric Farwell, EW.com, 9 Jan. 2024 The quietly ominous rumble at the start of Tesori’s score gives way to a chorus of fliers whose stentorian march morphs into a neo-Baroque fugue. Zachary Woolfe, New York Times, 29 Oct. 2023 There is, of course, our old friend Optimus Prime (Peter Cullen), leader of the Autobots, who transforms out of a cool red Freightliner semi-truck and issues his commands in a voice that’s noble, stentorian, maybe even a dash Shakespearean. Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 5 June 2023 This documentary offers an up close and personal look at one of Hollywood’s most compelling and idiosyncratic talents, a man with a stentorian voice and distinctive cadence who has transfixed generations of movie and TV fans. Diane Garrett, Variety, 6 Mar. 2023 See all Example Sentences for stentorian 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'stentorian.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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Cite this Entry

“Stentorian.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stentorian. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.

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