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

That little note turned into this absolute cacophonous thunderstorm, all from that one note on the guitar. — Simon Vozick-Levinson, Rolling Stone, 11 Aug. 2026

In a packed, bustling restaurant, collective chatter reaches cacophonous levels, which is where mechanic Ninh (Nguyễn Quốc Tuấn) comes in. — Guy Lodge, Variety, 10 Aug. 2026

Despite its simple premise, Raimi’s eccentric, expressive filmmaking style, combined with the film’s unyielding, cacophonous splatter horror, made The Evil Dead instantly notorious. — Brianna Zigler, Entertainment Weekly, 10 July 2026

In its cacophonous surroundings, the White House stood serene. — Mark Puleo, New York Times, 11 June 2026

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