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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of obstreperous
And when intelligence confirms that one of their vessels is engaged in armed smuggling operations, the president need not convene an obstreperous congressional committee before acting in such a manner to defend the American people.
—
Josh Hammer, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Dec. 2025
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
Josh Hammer, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Dec. 2025
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for obstreperous
Adjective
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Arratia in particular worships at the altar of De la Iglesia whose highly political, outspoken but structured political melodramas, made from the ‘60s to the ‘80s, underscored how Spain’s establishment exploited it young proles, pushed into crime for a lack of real economic alternatives.—
John Hopewell,
Variety,
10 Mar. 2026
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Always entertaining and joking with those around him, the outspoken American has taken on a showman personality at the Games.—
Tales Azzoni,
Los Angeles Times,
10 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Theirs was a rebellious poetics of beauty, or a beautiful poetics of rebellion.—
Taran Dugal,
New Yorker,
4 Mar. 2026
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Yet his work is perhaps closer to the rebellious energy of Dutch painter Theo van Doesburg, for whom the diagonal line was synonymous with disruption.—
Elinore Weil,
Artforum,
4 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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But critics of bell-to-bell bans are just as vocal.—
Theo Peck-Suzuki,
Hartford Courant,
9 Mar. 2026
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Country singers impressed, as did the unique vocal stylings of dementia-care aide Brooks Rosser, who is all but certain to be among the last standing in the competition.—
Shirley Halperin,
Rolling Stone,
9 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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This is, of course, exactly the logic that drove the CIA’s support for the Mujahideen Mujahedeen in Afghanistan and the arming of Syrian rebel factions – both of which produced consequences their architects failed to foresee.—
John Calabrese,
The Conversation,
7 Mar. 2026
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Colombia’s government has struggled to contain drug traffickers and rebel groups that are now fighting over territory abandoned by the nation’s largest guerrilla group, the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, following its 2016 peace deal with the government.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
3 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Moreover, there was a brotherly bond among the players, reflected in Jones’ vociferous defense of his quarterback.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
9 Mar. 2026
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The public data do not contain information about who makes the reports to 311, and these numbers could be skewed by vociferous individuals.—
Ariane Lange,
Sacbee.com,
4 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Paxton was defiant when speaking to a few hundred supporters at a Dallas hotel ballroom, a far different scene than Cornyn's small press conference.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
4 Mar. 2026
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Paxton was defiant when speaking to a few hundred supporters at a Dallas hotel ballroom on Tuesday night, a far different scene from Cornyn’s small news conference.—
Steve Peoples,
Los Angeles Times,
4 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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This is blatant hypocrisy for Republicans to demonstrate.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
8 Mar. 2026
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The controversy connects to a larger schism on the right, with some conservatives pushing back against an increasingly vocal faction whose denunciations of Israel, critics say, often combine with blatant antisemitism.—
Peter Smith,
Los Angeles Times,
5 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Early connections should feel easier as affectionate Venus forms a supportive sextile with intense Pluto, encouraging us to handle stubborn issues with honest talks and practical teamwork.—
Tarot.com,
Hartford Courant,
10 Mar. 2026
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Spend less time focusing on prep and cleaning and more time focusing on the food with our favorite kitchen tools, which can make poached eggs in minutes, reseal bags of ingredients, open stubborn jars, and more.—
Caley Sturgill,
Southern Living,
10 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Obstreperous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/obstreperous. Accessed 12 Mar. 2026.
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