Definition of raucousnext

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 And the raucous crowd in Philadelphia will have plenty of reasons to cheer for home stars like Bryce Harper, Schwarber, Brandon Marsh, Duran, Sanchez, and Jesus Luzardo. Ian Miller, FOXNews.com, 14 July 2026 Hunt for the Wilderpeople (2016) Neill linked up with Kiwi filmmaker Taika Waititi for the raucous comedy Hunt for the Wilderpeople. Abid Rahman, HollywoodReporter, 13 July 2026 England endured a raucous crowd at Estadio Azteca to beat Mexico in a round-of-16 thriller but lost veteran midfielder Jordan Henderson to a wrist injury from a postgame celebration. Stephen Whyno, Chicago Tribune, 9 July 2026 So Monday night could potentially bring a rematch of Schwarber versus Harper in front of a raucous Citizens Bank Park crowd. Charlotte Varnes, New York Times, 9 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for raucous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for raucous
Adjective
  • On July 8, Hancock read the text to a large and boisterous crowd in Philadelphia.
    Richard Lederer, San Diego Union-Tribune, 4 July 2026
  • My family had a boisterous rescue dog, who was full-grown but often acted like a puppy.
    Deborah Mower, The Conversation, 2 July 2026
Adjective
  • As soccer fans well know, hooligans are rowdy gangs that engage in violent behavior on game days.
    The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 13 July 2026
  • The Carnaval de Guaranda, for instance, takes inspiration from a rowdy annual fiesta held in the Bolivar Province and is made with vodka, hops, figs, white truffle, turmeric, and a local moonshine called pájaro azul.
    Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 10 July 2026
Adjective
  • The picture of Cardinals cool, Walker chased down Kyle Schwarber, shut up a rambunctious Philly crowd and introduced himself to a much wider baseball world.
    Dan Gelston, AJC.com, 14 July 2026
  • The project’s name is what Sprouse and Columbus call their friend group of rambunctious guys.
    Chris Murphy, Vanity Fair, 7 July 2026
Adjective
  • Inside, a lively party plays out — a cacophony of voices, skin, shimmer, bottles, joy and hormones on repeat.
    Abbey White, HollywoodReporter, 16 July 2026
  • From creators Liz Heldens and Matt Ward, the as-yet-untitled series follows Heidi (Banks), who is fresh off a messy divorce and sets out to secure a lively second act for herself and her kids.
    Rosy Cordero, Deadline, 16 July 2026
Adjective
  • Murphy then appeared on stage to a rollicking standing ovation and made his way to his place at the dais toward the back of the room.
    Pete Hammond, Deadline, 19 Apr. 2026
  • Those self-aware lyrics are paired with breezy melody and a gently rollicking rhythm, making this feel like a freewheeling summertime favorite.
    Jessica Nicholson, Billboard, 24 Mar. 2026
Adjective
  • These days, noisy, drunk, barely dressed visitors holiday hard in condos that have been converted into vacation rentals.
    Linda Robertson, Miami Herald, 16 July 2026
  • An hour before The Breakaway goes live, the production crew forms a human shield across a noisy central London street so presenter Orla Chennaoui can record her opening link uninterrupted.
    Amelie Claydon, New York Times, 15 July 2026
Adjective
  • The movie is both exquisite and rumbustious, stylized and energized.
    Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 5 May 2022
  • Still, there’s a lot of pleasing vitality to this great American story about how clever brewers took an ancient idea and unlocked an unheard-of range of innovations with a combination of capitalist energy and rumbustious creativity.
    Kyle Smith, National Review, 18 Apr. 2021
Adjective
  • Bullish risk reversal In an attempt to capitalize on the historically expensive downside SPCX options and position for a violent snap-back, this risk reversal seeks to finance upside exposure by fading the put skew.
    Jeff Kilburg, CNBC, 17 July 2026
  • As the administration forges ahead with its immigration enforcement campaign, former ICE officials and policing experts warned that resuming vehicle stops without a thorough review of training or tactics could lead to more violent encounters.
    Christopher Cann, USA Today, 17 July 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Raucous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/raucous. Accessed 19 Jul. 2026.

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