Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective raucous contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of raucous are earsplitting, loud, stentorian, and strident. While all these words mean "marked by intensity or volume of sound," raucous implies a loud harsh grating tone, especially of voice, and may suggest rowdiness.

the raucous shouts of drunken revelers

When is it sensible to use earsplitting instead of raucous?

The meanings of earsplitting and raucous largely overlap; however, earsplitting implies loudness that is physically discomforting.

the earsplitting sound of a siren

Where would loud be a reasonable alternative to raucous?

The words loud and raucous are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, loud applies to any volume above normal and may suggest undue vehemence or obtrusiveness.

loud shouts of protest

When is stentorian a more appropriate choice than raucous?

The words stentorian and raucous can be used in similar contexts, but stentorian implies great power and range.

an actor with a stentorian voice

When might strident be a better fit than raucous?

In some situations, the words strident and raucous are roughly equivalent. However, strident implies a rasping discordant but insistent quality, especially of voice.

the strident voices of hecklers

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of raucous Republicans have been plagued by raucous town halls for months, with hecklers usually targeting cuts by the Department of Government Efficiency or cuts made through the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. Brady Knox, The Washington Examiner, 5 Aug. 2025 In one of the most raucous days of protest, thousands of people took to the streets June 8 in response to Trump’s deployment of the Guard, blocking off a major freeway as law enforcement used tear gas, rubber bullets and flash bangs to control the crowd. Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 22 July 2025 Meanwhile, from the tail end, a raucous exhaust soundtrack almost borders on egregiously loud. Michael Teo Van Runkle, Forbes.com, 30 July 2025 When Gavin Adcock finishes one of his raucous sets, the stage is often slick from a rain of beer and littered with cans and water bottles that fans have tossed onstage — though Adcock has thrown plenty of his own drinks into the crowd, too. Jessica Nicholson, Billboard, 30 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for raucous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for raucous
Adjective
  • Amid the noise on Nashville’s bright, boisterous Broadway strip, Robert’s Western World stands alone with its (relatively) quiet reverence for Nashville’s spirit — the one that existed before the crowds.
    Mackensy Lunsford, The Tennessean, 1 Aug. 2025
  • To thwart it, Frank teams up with a fellow-officer (Paul Walter Hauser) and a victim’s sister (Pamela Anderson), and some of the boisterous humor is playfully ribald.
    Hilton Als, New Yorker, 1 Aug. 2025
Adjective
  • The area of Bardstown Road in the Highlands has been a point of focus for Greenberg and Louisville Metro Police in the wake of several instances of rowdy patrons causing disturbances in the area earlier in Summer 2025.
    Lillian Metzmeier, Louisville Courier Journal, 12 Aug. 2025
  • The 48-year-old Chico resident said he was also disheartened by the rowdy crowd, which shouted over much of LaMalfa’s response to his question.
    Nicole Nixon, Sacbee.com, 11 Aug. 2025
Adjective
  • Our trip being in late fall, the doors were closed and the place empty and blissfully silent—a restorative experience for parents of a rambunctious nine-year-old.
    Kinsey Giddick, Travel + Leisure, 3 Aug. 2025
  • Counteracting that are the touching scenes where the trio bond with and care for sled dogs (rambunctious Billy is my favorite) at the school.
    Randy Myers, Mercury News, 1 Aug. 2025
Adjective
  • Its Crown Kids Club pulses with creativity—think gooey slime-making, art workshops, kids’ gymnastics, and lively Pokémon shows—plus a dedicated cinema, a LEGO playroom, a mini kitchen workshop, and a glittering Princess Spa.
    Lewis Nunn, Forbes.com, 12 Aug. 2025
  • The lively multi-cultural party band Kotoko Brass plays on Aug. 16 at 7:30 p.m. on Guilford Green Stage One.
    Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 10 Aug. 2025
Adjective
  • Joy’s jazzy, smoky version of the Marvin Gaye classic, coupled with her velvety vocals, sparked another rollicking ovation led by John who was the first to stand up.
    Gail Mitchell, Billboard, 4 Feb. 2023
  • His setlist, a rollicking walk-down-memory-lane of solo hits, NKOTB favorites, standards, show tunes and cover songs, showcased his range as an entertainer, musical virtuoso and keen collaborator.
    Sonal Dutt, Peoplemag, 23 Jan. 2023
Adjective
  • The noisy ones have either hope or larceny in their souls.
    Chip Bell, Forbes.com, 15 Aug. 2025
  • Rez said platforms should build internal mechanisms that elevated antisemitism protections above noisy or majority-sourced signals in training.
    Peter Aitken, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Aug. 2025
Adjective
  • Around this time, the outfit’s quirky, lightly rumbustious songs began to resonate across British press and radio; accessible while containing a marked dose of strangeness, Fontaine’s songwriting – at once emotionally raw and witty – boasted a strong multi-generational appeal.
    Sophie Williams, Billboard, 8 May 2025
  • The movie is both exquisite and rumbustious, stylized and energized.
    Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 5 May 2022
Adjective
  • But Over-the-Rhine and Downtown have seen an uptick in violent crime.
    Brenda Ordonez, The Enquirer, 21 Aug. 2025
  • Coleman said about 175 people convicted of violent crimes that took place before the law's effective date who had not yet been sentenced could have been eligible for early release.
    Lucas Aulbach, The Courier-Journal, 20 Aug. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Raucous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/raucous. Accessed 25 Aug. 2025.

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