loud

1 of 2

adjective

ˈlau̇d 

1

a

: marked by intensity or volume of sound

loud music

b

: producing a loud sound

a loud engine

2

: clamorous, noisy

a loud crowd of people

3

: obtrusive or offensive in appearance or smell : obnoxious

… in a white linen suit and loud plaid tie …

—Alice Kaplan

loud adverb

loudly adverb

loudly

2 of 2

adverb

loud·​ly

sometimes -er/-est

: in a loud, noisy, or emphatic manner

the large birds laughed so loudly that the goldfinch became annoyed

—James Thurber

something eminently human beaconed from his eye; something indeed which never found its way into his talk, but which spoke … more often and loudly in the acts of his life

—Robert Louis Stevenson

Synonyms of loud

Adjective

• deafening
• ringing
• roaring
• noisy
• thunderous

Choose the Right Synonym for loud

loud, stentorian, earsplitting, raucous, strident mean marked by intensity or volume of sound.

loud applies to any volume above normal and may suggest undue vehemence or obtrusiveness.

loud shouts of protest

stentorian implies great power and range.

an actor with a stentorian voice

earsplitting implies loudness that is physically discomforting.

the earsplitting sound of a siren

raucous implies a loud harsh grating tone, especially of voice, and may suggest rowdiness.

the raucous shouts of drunken revelers

strident implies a rasping discordant but insistent quality, especially of voice.

the strident voices of hecklers

Examples of loud in a Sentence

Adjective

She complained in a loud voice.

“Is the television loud enough?” “It's too loud!”

He's known for being loud and aggressive.

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

When Jenn and Emily return, Shannon tries to cut the tension by talking about jarred pizza sauce (the only real laugh-out-loud moment of the episode), but there’s no salvaging this night. — Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 11 Sep. 2026

After hours of unsuccessful negotiation, police used a loud distraction device and tear gas to drive the man out of the home. — Clara Harter, Los Angeles Times, 11 Sep. 2026

Now, in typical sporting event fight fashion, there's always a loud girlfriend or wife in the middle of the action claiming that her man was never in the wrong. — Joe Kinsey Outkick, FOXNews.com, 11 Sep. 2026

For years, the loudest stories in apparel have tended to revolve around trend, branding, athlete endorsements, digital commerce, or consumer-facing innovation. — Nia Bowers, USA Today, 10 Sep. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Middle English, from Old English hlūd; akin to Old High German hlūt loud, Latin inclutus famous, Greek klytos, Sanskrit śṛṇoti he hears

Adverb

Middle English, from loud entry 1 + -ly

First Known Use

Adjective

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing loud

• for crying out loud
• loud and clear
• loud-hailer
• out loud
• think aloud/out loud

Rhymes for loud

• bowed
• browed
• cloud
• cowed
• crowd
• dowd
• ploughed
• plowed
• proud
• shroud
• sowed
• stroud

Kids Definition

loud

adjective

ˈlau̇d 

1

a

: marked by a high volume of sound

b

: producing a loud sound

2

: noisy sense 1

3

: unpleasantly bold or bright in color or pattern

a loud plaid

loud adverb

loudly adverb

loudness noun