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
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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No president has ever fired a commissioner, and many commissioners have been outspoken advocates for free speech.—
Erin Mansfield,
USA Today,
3 Oct. 2025
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The legendary journalist and author's first husband Jay Monahan died of colon cancer in 1998 which spurred her to be an outspoken advocate and fundraiser for cancer research.—
Kiran Hefa,
PEOPLE,
1 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Do something semi-rebellious in honor of Lane Kim Like dyeing your hair or joining a band!—
Andrea Wurzburger,
PEOPLE,
5 Oct. 2025
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Kimmel is once again on the air throughout the country now that rebellious affiliate owners Nexstar and Sinclair have backed down and agreed to resume airing his ABC late-night show after a weeklong standoff.—
Michael Schneider,
Variety,
2 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Chinese censors are ramping up their crackdown on online dissent as internet users become increasingly vocal over the country’s economic slowdown.—
Jeronimo Gonzalez,
semafor.com,
8 Oct. 2025
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While the marketplace hasn’t caught up, many are vocal about denouncing rhetoric that shames older women with the hopes that, one day, everyone will catch on.—
Alexa Mikhail,
Flow Space,
8 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Aside from games like volleyball and dominoes, Gach says some children stage fake ambushes on one another while pretending to be government forces or rebel fighters.—
Juliana Kim,
NPR,
5 Oct. 2025
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The Security Council has been monitoring a 2016 peace accord between the government and what was then the largest rebel group, the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC, at the government's request.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
5 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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That Maestro screening featured the vociferous participation of Leonard Bernstein’s surviving family members, as well as Cooper himself watching silently from the audience (the strike prevented him from doing more), a perfect companion to Cooper’s alternately reverent and over-the-top biopic.—
Joe Reid,
Vulture,
25 Sep. 2025
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The chants continued with four minutes left in the fourth quarter with Tulsa leading 19-12, and the vociferous crowd was heard on the ESPN broadcast.—
Ryan Morik,
FOXNews.com,
23 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Though the song order is Easter egg intentional – as with everything Swift – it’s bookended by a declaration of romantic salvation and a narrative from the perspective of a weary, yet defiant showgirl.—
Melissa Ruggieri,
USA Today,
3 Oct. 2025
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Polis has sought to avoid public fights with the federal government over immigration, unlike his more publicly defiant counterparts in Illinois and California.—
Seth Klamann,
Denver Post,
30 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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So what's up with all the blatant disrespect and body-shaming for the man infamously known for wearing another player as a backpack, and smashing heads and eating them?—
Sydney Bucksbaum,
Entertainment Weekly,
2 Oct. 2025
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But opponents saw the move as a blatant attempt to short-circuit the investigation into Russian hacking of the 2016 presidential election.—
Maureen Groppe,
USA Today,
26 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Originally bred in Germany to hunt badgers, these small canines are energetic, bold and stubborn.—
Liz O'Connell,
MSNBC Newsweek,
3 Oct. 2025
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Both options meant navigating some stubborn supporters.—
Kevin Coulson,
New York Times,
2 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Obstreperous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/obstreperous. Accessed 9 Oct. 2025.
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