as in screams
someone or something that is very funny
she's such a riot at parties
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Recent Examples of riots
That was a remarkable thing to hear, because Rasmussen’s church was near the center of the riots that took place after the killing of George Floyd in 2020.
—
Robert F. Worth, The Atlantic, 26 Jan. 2026
Bovino has long defended the tactics used by Border Patrol agents, calling them necessary to quell riots that threatened federal law enforcement personnel.
—Camilo Montoya-Galvez, CBS News, 26 Jan. 2026
In 1992, during the riots caused by the killing of Rodney King, the Lakers played a home playoff game against the Blazers in Las Vegas rather than the Forum in Inglewood.
—Joseph Dycus, Mercury News, 24 Jan. 2026
The alert comes as gangs have attacked Guatemalan police after seizing control of three prisons in coordinated riots, The Associated Press (AP) reported.
—Ashley J. Dimella, FOXNews.com, 20 Jan. 2026
The law was used most recently in 1992 during the Los Angeles riots, but it has not been invoked without a state governor asking the president to use it since the Civil Rights movement in the 1960s.
—Mike Stunson, Forbes.com, 20 Jan. 2026
The act was last used in 1992 when riots broke out after four White police officers were acquitted in the beating of Black motorist Rodney King.
—Greta Bjornson, PEOPLE, 19 Jan. 2026
The law, or its predecessors, have been invoked 30 times going back to 1794, most recently during the Los Angeles riots in 1992.
—Zac Anderson, USA Today, 15 Jan. 2026
The last time a president invoked the Insurrection Act was during the 1992 Los Angeles riots, and it has only been used over the objections of a governor in modern times during the civil rights era.
—Dave Goldiner, New York Daily News, 15 Jan. 2026
Robert F. Worth, The Atlantic, 26 Jan. 2026
Bovino has long defended the tactics used by Border Patrol agents, calling them necessary to quell riots that threatened federal law enforcement personnel.
—Camilo Montoya-Galvez, CBS News, 26 Jan. 2026
In 1992, during the riots caused by the killing of Rodney King, the Lakers played a home playoff game against the Blazers in Las Vegas rather than the Forum in Inglewood.
—Joseph Dycus, Mercury News, 24 Jan. 2026
The alert comes as gangs have attacked Guatemalan police after seizing control of three prisons in coordinated riots, The Associated Press (AP) reported.
—Ashley J. Dimella, FOXNews.com, 20 Jan. 2026
The law was used most recently in 1992 during the Los Angeles riots, but it has not been invoked without a state governor asking the president to use it since the Civil Rights movement in the 1960s.
—Mike Stunson, Forbes.com, 20 Jan. 2026
The act was last used in 1992 when riots broke out after four White police officers were acquitted in the beating of Black motorist Rodney King.
—Greta Bjornson, PEOPLE, 19 Jan. 2026
The law, or its predecessors, have been invoked 30 times going back to 1794, most recently during the Los Angeles riots in 1992.
—Zac Anderson, USA Today, 15 Jan. 2026
The last time a president invoked the Insurrection Act was during the 1992 Los Angeles riots, and it has only been used over the objections of a governor in modern times during the civil rights era.
—Dave Goldiner, New York Daily News, 15 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for riots
Noun
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Passengers aboard a taxiing aircraft were reportedly left horrified last month when chilling screams suddenly echoed from beneath the cabin just moments before takeoff.—
Bonny Chu,
FOXNews.com,
14 Jan. 2026
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The car chase, the chokehold, his own screams at the officers to leave his dad alone.—
Nicole Foy,
ProPublica,
13 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Cowboy and cowgirl hoots and hollers complement the rumbling of the massive animals’ hooves as they’re rounded up into the corrals.—
Lydia Mansel,
Travel + Leisure,
28 Dec. 2025
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There are hoots and hollers from raucous tourists on Bourbon Street, for example.—
Matt Alderton,
USA Today,
24 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Not all of the jokes work, but even the grumpiest theatergoers will find plenty of laughs.—
Ross Raihala,
Twin Cities,
7 Jan. 2026
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But the comedians also used those laughs to reveal the fundamental absurdity of violence and conflict.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
7 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Riots.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/riots. Accessed 1 Feb. 2026.
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