Definition of loudnext

loud

2 of 2

adverb

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective loud contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of loud are earsplitting, raucous, stentorian, and strident. While all these words 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

When can earsplitting be used instead of loud?

In some situations, the words earsplitting and loud are roughly equivalent. However, earsplitting implies loudness that is physically discomforting.

the earsplitting sound of a siren

When is it sensible to use raucous instead of loud?

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

the raucous shouts of drunken revelers

In what contexts can stentorian take the place of loud?

The meanings of stentorian and loud largely overlap; however, stentorian implies great power and range.

an actor with a stentorian voice

Where would strident be a reasonable alternative to loud?

Although the words strident and loud have much in common, 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 loud
Adjective
The president has reworked Russia’s economy and political system around the conflict, channeling investment into weapons factories and making loud proponents of the war central figures in the country’s government. — Dmytro Kuleba, Foreign Affairs, 30 Sep. 2026 The engines were so loud the commandos would have had to shout to be heard. — Literary Hub, 30 Sep. 2026
Adverb
Brewer said more than 10 pages of questions from residents will be read out loud at the City Council hearing, and co-op organizations will speak out. — Adi Guajardo, CBS News, 18 Aug. 2026 There’s another description of an older car that’s real loud. — Dateline Nbc, NBC news, 13 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for loud
Recent Examples of Synonyms for loud
Adjective
  • By the time Obsession made it to TIFF, the buzz on social media had become deafening.
    — Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 11 Sep. 2026
  • Before the researchers could start sampling it, though, a deafening roar suddenly filled the tunnel.
    — James Dinneen, New Yorker, 13 Aug. 2026
Adjective
  • The world is too noisy; therefore, people are less perceptive.
    — Josh Zajdman, Vogue, 29 Sep. 2026
  • For spring/summer 2027, pastels were used to regulate noisier silhouettes and prints, and as a check on volume and pattern, as opposed to being chosen as a soft, safe default.
    — Samantha Conti, Footwear News, 28 Sep. 2026
Adverb
  • The votes were loudly jeered by protesters who had gathered nearby.
    — Joseph Wilson, Los Angeles Times, 2 Oct. 2026
  • But after being injected with two ostensibly lethal doses of pentobarbital, Pike was still alive, snoring loudly as journalists selected to witness the execution glanced at one another, wondering what was happening.
    — Dakin Andone, CNN Money, 1 Oct. 2026
Adjective
  • Michigan coach Kyle Whittingham was asked about Underwood’s security in the starting job earlier this week and hardly offered up a ringing endorsement.
    — Bruce Feldman, New York Times, 11 Sep. 2026
  • Martha-Mary Chapel, Sudbury Reverend Bryce (Toby Huss) presides over the town church, where mysterious ringing bells seem to indicate something dark is afoot.
    — Nicholas DeRenzo, Travel + Leisure, 25 Aug. 2026
Adverb
  • Rooms are decorated with minibars crafted in Jaipur, flamboyantly upholstered chairs, Murano-glass chandeliers, and marbled wallpaper sourced and crafted in Italy.
    — Clare Coulson, Condé Nast Traveler, 8 Sep. 2026
  • Sister Daphne belongs to the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, an LGBTQ+ group made up mostly of people who dress flamboyantly as nuns.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 25 July 2026
Adjective
  • Rudy Gobert and a roaring, black-out playoff crowd towered over him.
    — Bennett Durando, Denver Post, 24 Apr. 2026
  • Cornwall’s ‘roaring future’ If the world is ever to get close to net zero, lithium will be at the centre of it, said The Times.
    — Will Barker, TheWeek, 19 Feb. 2026
Adverb
  • Bryan Fuller’s expressionistic procedural is ostentatiously gruesome, yes, but the increasingly disturbing interplay between Will and Hannibal — cat and mouse, will-they/won’t they — is a full course meal on its own.
    — Matt Cabral, Entertainment Weekly, 10 Apr. 2026
  • In her closet were seven Ungaros, three Rykiels, a Kamali bathing suit and a Kamali sleeping-bag coat, five Kenzo dresses, two pieces from the Ballets Russes collection of Saint Laurent—all of which were trades or payments in kind, none of them mothballed, but instead worn ostentatiously and often.
    — Han Ong, New Yorker, 15 Mar. 2026
Adjective
  • Musgraves stood perched at the mic with her eyes closed for most of the performance, which was met by thunderous applause from the audience.
    — Steven J. Horowitz, Variety, 28 Sep. 2026
  • To thunderous applause, Kirchner praised the expansive welfare programs of his mother's presidency, which ended over a decade ago.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 23 Sep. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Loud.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/loud. Accessed 5 Oct. 2026.

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