1
as in outspoken
engaging in or marked by loud and insistent cries especially of protest
an obstreperous crowd protesting the government's immigration policy
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in rebellious
given to resisting authority or another's control
the club's president was at his wits' end with obstreperous members who refused to cooperate
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of obstreperous
All at once, Vance had made an obstreperous return to the center of the national stage—and so did the memes.
—
Jessica Winter, The New Yorker, 19 Mar. 2025
In some ways, Paul has been less obstreperous than them.
—Eric Cortellessa, TIME, 18 Mar. 2025
In those days, even small neighborhood theaters employed uniformed ushers to guide latecomers to their seats with a flashlight, patrol the aisles, and handle obstreperous customers.
—Thomas Doherty, The Hollywood Reporter, 27 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for obstreperous
Jessica Winter, The New Yorker, 19 Mar. 2025
In some ways, Paul has been less obstreperous than them.
—Eric Cortellessa, TIME, 18 Mar. 2025
In those days, even small neighborhood theaters employed uniformed ushers to guide latecomers to their seats with a flashlight, patrol the aisles, and handle obstreperous customers.
—Thomas Doherty, The Hollywood Reporter, 27 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for obstreperous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for obstreperous
Adjective
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Her love life, like her work life, according to her most outspoken friend, Littia (singer Inayah), is in shambles, and an invitation to spend the holidays with love interest Colton (Aaron O’Connell) challenges her perspectives on romance.—
Ronda Racha Penrice,
HollywoodReporter,
5 Nov. 2025
-
The pair will face the immediate challenge of addressing the controversy over politics that has roiled the firm, at a time when many Silicon Valley venture firms are becoming increasingly outspoken on hot-button political and culture-war issues.—
Allie Garfinkle,
Fortune,
4 Nov. 2025
Adjective
-
As for the Banks sisters, Ashley (Akira Akbar) works through a rebellious phase during her freshman year as Hilary (Coco Jones) goes on a journey of self-exploration.—
Natalie Oganesyan,
Deadline,
3 Nov. 2025
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To be clear, there is no sense that Rondón and Ugás are defending the old guard or suggesting that a docile, starving population pinioned under the grip of a dictatorship is big-picture preferable to a rebellious insurgency.—
Jessica Kiang,
Variety,
31 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Mamdani, whose past included vocal activism on behalf of Palestinian issues that included comments many New York Jews found offensive, will be New York’s first Muslim mayor.—
Alex J. Rouhandeh,
MSNBC Newsweek,
5 Nov. 2025
-
The incoming Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, had been a vocal supporter of the bureau.—
The New Yorker,
New Yorker,
5 Nov. 2025
Adjective
-
An elderly man sits on the floor, dozens of bodies lying around him, before a Sudanese rebel fighter approaches and shoots him.—
Ivana Kottasová,
CNN Money,
30 Oct. 2025
-
The 64-year-old actor famously portrays rebel leader Morpheus, captain of the Nebuchadnezzar, in the hit sci-fi action film franchise.—
Erin Clack,
PEOPLE,
18 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Two sides in European competition, Nottingham Forest, buoyed by Sean Dyche’s arrival and a vociferous City Ground, and a rapidly improving Aston Villa, come first.—
Beren Cross,
New York Times,
3 Nov. 2025
-
Hamas officials later said the spectacle, along with Trump’s earlier vociferous enforcement of a cease-fire between Iran and Israel, encouraged them to trust his vows that the peace pact would be enforced.—
Karl Vick,
Time,
11 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Cushla’s world is full of defiant spirits, including her mother, a woman struggling with addiction who spends most of her days bound to her living room and the bottom of a bottle.—
Max Goldbart,
Deadline,
5 Nov. 2025
-
The mayor-elect was defiant in his victory speech.—
Sydney Lake,
Fortune,
5 Nov. 2025
Adjective
-
Bartz was struck by the boldness of the theft, noting that internal communications from Anthropic showed blatant awareness of the piracy.—
Carly Tagen-Dye,
PEOPLE,
6 Nov. 2025
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Tragically, Putin’s blatant disregard for international law when invading and annexing Ukraine in 2022 is frequently compared to the American invasion of Iraq.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
5 Nov. 2025
Adjective
-
That tone—of pain, of surprise, of a stubborn refusal to be reduced or diminished—is everywhere in it.—
Questlove,
The Atlantic,
7 Nov. 2025
-
If the stain is stubborn, add a few drops of dish soap to the water and vinegar mixture.—
Ashlyn Needham,
Southern Living,
7 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Obstreperous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/obstreperous. Accessed 10 Nov. 2025.
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