vociferous

adjective vo·cif·er·ous \ vō-ˈsi-f(ə-)rəs \

Definition of vociferous

:marked by or given to vehement insistent outcry

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vociferously

adverb

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vociferousness

noun

See vociferous defined for English-language learners

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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 of vociferous from the Web

But vociferous, anti-Israel rhetoric by the charismatic Arab nationalist leader Gamal Abdel-Nasser, coupled with Cold War realities, doomed any hope that Washington could become Cairo’s superpower patron.

— hamza hendawi, The Seattle Times, "Trump administration calls out Egypt on human rights," 23 Aug. 2017
Some large beneficiaries of foreign-money inflows are also vociferous proponents of greater limits on immigration.

— sami j. karam, National Review, "A Different Kind of Border Wall," 21 Aug. 2017
Founded in 1949 by the Rev. Robert Meneilly, a vociferous champion of civil rights, the church continues to make community involvement a priority.

— patrick neas, kansascity, "Come hear the new $2 million organ at Village Presbyterian in Prairie Village," 18 Aug. 2017
But now, after a woman died and the Herculean response and outrage from that attack has gone global, tech companies have been vociferous in their decision to stand up to hate groups—

— nick bilton, vanityfair.com, "Can Silicon Valley Disrupt Its Neo-Nazi Problem?," 17 Aug. 2017
Asked what would finally elicit vociferous objections from Republicans, Flake said the firing of special prosecutor Robert Mueller, who is investigating Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election.

— andrew taylor, chicagotribune.com, "Arizona Sen. Jeff Flake takes GOP to task over Trump," 1 Aug. 2017
His fellow Kentucky Republican, Sen. Rand Paul, was a constant thorn and the most vociferous opponent of McConnell’s effort.

— alan fram, The Seattle Times, "Crumbling health bill dents McConnell image as top tactician," 19 July 2017
His fellow Kentucky Republican, Sen. Rand Paul, was a constant thorn and the most vociferous opponent of McConnell’s effort.

— alan fram, The Courier-Journal, "Crumbling health bill dents McConnell image as top tactician," 19 July 2017
His fellow Kentucky Republican, Sen. Rand Paul, was a constant thorn and the most vociferous opponent of McConnell’s effort.

— Washington Post, "Crumbling health bill dents McConnell image as top tactician," 19 July 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'vociferous.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Did You Know?

Vociferous derives from the word Latin vox, which means "voice." But other English words can be used to describe those who compel attention by being loud and insistent. "Vociferous" implies a vehement shouting or calling out, but to convey the insistency of a demand or protest, "clamorous" might be a better choice. You could also use "strident" to suggest harsh and discordant noise in a protest, or "obstreperous" to imply loud, unruly and aggressive resistance to restraint. But someone who is noisy and turbulent due to high spirits rather than dissatisfaction might more aptly be called "boisterous."

First Known Use of vociferous

circa 1611

vociferous Synonyms

Synonym Discussion of vociferous

vociferous, clamorous, blatant, strident, boisterous, obstreperous mean so loud or insistent as to compel attention. vociferous implies a vehement shouting or calling out.