1
as in humorous
causing or intended to cause laughter
his riotous mugging always has everyone in hysterics
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in lavish
pouring forth in great amounts
a painting by that artist is usually a riotous display of color
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 riotous
Don’t miss the riotous ride that’s sure to leave you howling with laughter!
—
Cincinnati Enquirer, 7 Mar. 2026
The film is faithful to the franchise’s customary angst, with riotous needle drops (and an obligatory new Nick Cave track) courtesy of Antony Genn and Martin Slattery.
—Miriam Balanescu, IndieWire, 5 Mar. 2026
After 40 years beachside (and gaining a casual, semi-riotous rep for all the day-drinking amid the sand and surf), the Independent Spirit Awards has shacked up at the Hollywood Palladium.
—Anna Cafolla, Vogue, 16 Feb. 2026
The quest to fathom the riotous diversity of nature is absorbingly told in a virtual double biography of the great taxonomist Carl Linnaeus and his contemporary, the count of Buffon.
—Ian Tattersall, The New York Review of Books, 5 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for riotous
Cincinnati Enquirer, 7 Mar. 2026
The film is faithful to the franchise’s customary angst, with riotous needle drops (and an obligatory new Nick Cave track) courtesy of Antony Genn and Martin Slattery.
—Miriam Balanescu, IndieWire, 5 Mar. 2026
After 40 years beachside (and gaining a casual, semi-riotous rep for all the day-drinking amid the sand and surf), the Independent Spirit Awards has shacked up at the Hollywood Palladium.
—Anna Cafolla, Vogue, 16 Feb. 2026
The quest to fathom the riotous diversity of nature is absorbingly told in a virtual double biography of the great taxonomist Carl Linnaeus and his contemporary, the count of Buffon.
—Ian Tattersall, The New York Review of Books, 5 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for riotous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for riotous
Adjective
-
This is distinct from writing that is humorous, the stuff that will give you a wry smile at best.—
John Warner,
Chicago Tribune,
11 Apr. 2026
-
The team of Bob Mortimer, Aisling Bea, and Sally Phillips sang a song that playfully mocked Rosalind, but the team of Nish Kumar and Mark Watson—whose performances had been hilariously scattershot that season—delivered a sweet, self-effacing, and humorous song that took everyone by surprise.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
8 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Things came to a head in 2014 when Pethő broke a story about the lavish expenses of a minister in Orbán’s government.—
Christian Edwards,
CNN Money,
19 Apr. 2026
-
Crundwell used the money to finance her quarter horse business and lavish lifestyle, according to the FBI.—
Kori Rumore,
Chicago Tribune,
17 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
The character’s physicality, precision and comedic timing are rooted in Ortiz’s performance, mediated through puppetry and design in the same way a motion-capture performance is mediated through technology.—
Clayton Davis,
Variety,
21 Apr. 2026
-
Best known for starring alongside Lil Dicky in the FX comedy Dave, Ko appears in the comedic thriller Drag, coming off its SXSW premiere, and has also recently been seen on the shows Ghosts and Loot.—
Matt Grobar,
Deadline,
20 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
In a press release, the MacArthur Justice Center said Rahman was subjected to excessive force by federal agents.—
Maria Lisignoli,
CBS News,
17 Apr. 2026
-
The platform’s new AI agent, René, allows dispatchers and fleet managers to investigate operational inefficiencies through simple conversational queries, identifying the root causes of issues like excessive overtime or route deviations.—
Arthur Zaczkiewicz,
Footwear News,
16 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Plus, some of my stickers are just funny.—
R. Eric Thomas,
Chicago Tribune,
17 Apr. 2026
-
Big-hearted and sharply funny, Lucy Schulman is a charming comedic coming-of-age story from multihyphenate Tribeca alum Ellie Sachs.—
Ryan Lattanzio,
IndieWire,
16 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
That role includes leading by example, through copious notetaking and attention to detail during practices or when learning plays.—
Sean Campbell,
Los Angeles Times,
11 Apr. 2026
-
Then there’s Meghan Markle’s post-palace wardrobe, a parade of tailored trousers, elevated linens, and copious amounts of cashmere.—
Bailey Bujnosek,
InStyle,
9 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Each episode features amusing sit-downs with students from Brooklyn Elementary School in Comox, British Columbia.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
21 Apr. 2026
-
Director Scott Ellis understands all this, and thus the admirably specific physical business and slurred verbosity in his gently outré revival really makes for quite the amusing diversion.—
Chris Jones,
Chicago Tribune,
20 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Hematite, an abundant iron oxide better known as rust, and its one of the most common minerals on Earth.—
Georgina Jedikovska,
Interesting Engineering,
17 Apr. 2026
-
Duck, North Carolina A town as quaint as its name, Duck—home to fewer than 1,000 residents—is abundant in both waterfowl and welcoming charm.—
Lisa Cericola,
Southern Living,
17 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Riotous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/riotous. Accessed 23 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
