as in boisterous
being rough or noisy in a high-spirited way
a rowdy but good-natured group of teenagers
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in thug
a violent, brutal person who is often a member of an organized gang
rowdies had overtaken the neighborhood and were threatening people on the street
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of rowdy
Jordan Runtagh, PEOPLE, 11 June 2026
Martin Scorsese, along with his then-wife, Isabella Rossellini, moved into the building and would call Mango at all hours — including once apparently to scare off a sister-in-law’s rowdy husband.
—Matthew Sedacca, Curbed, 10 June 2026
The screening — preceded by a showing of Leone DiSantis’s Bound-esque short film Wild Ones — was a rowdy affair punctuated by wolf whistles, whoops, and bursts of laughter at every lesbian joke.
—Caroline Framke, Vulture, 8 June 2026
The Knicks defeated the Spurs, 105-104, in dramatic fashion to take a commanding 2-0 series lead in the 2026 NBA Finals — and the next two games are back at home, in front of the rowdiest, most passionate fan base in all of professional sports.
—Kristian Winfield, New York Daily News, 6 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for rowdy
Adjective
Undeterred, Maurice instructed the group to lay down their instruments and meditate silently — onstage — until the rowdy crowd calmed down.
—Jordan Runtagh, PEOPLE, 11 June 2026
Martin Scorsese, along with his then-wife, Isabella Rossellini, moved into the building and would call Mango at all hours — including once apparently to scare off a sister-in-law’s rowdy husband.
—Matthew Sedacca, Curbed, 10 June 2026
The screening — preceded by a showing of Leone DiSantis’s Bound-esque short film Wild Ones — was a rowdy affair punctuated by wolf whistles, whoops, and bursts of laughter at every lesbian joke.
—Caroline Framke, Vulture, 8 June 2026
The Knicks defeated the Spurs, 105-104, in dramatic fashion to take a commanding 2-0 series lead in the 2026 NBA Finals — and the next two games are back at home, in front of the rowdiest, most passionate fan base in all of professional sports.
—Kristian Winfield, New York Daily News, 6 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for rowdy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rowdy
Adjective
-
Kirke plays Delphine Barlow, Alice’s (Condon) recently widowed older sister, a confident, boisterous presence with the ability to make every conversation about herself.—
Rosy Cordero,
Deadline,
18 June 2026
-
Those will be out in abundance during the June 26 match and the typically boisterous parades just outside the stadium.—
Andrew Destin,
Chicago Tribune,
17 June 2026
Noun
-
Ditto Hugh Jackman’s unerring performance — perhaps his finest dramatic work yet — as a savage, unfeeling thug and unrepentant murderer and thief.—
Randy Myers,
Mercury News,
18 June 2026
-
The actions of these thugs, who should be imprisoned for a long while, is the cause of denying real Knicks fans the chance to watch the game communally.—
Voice of the People,
New York Daily News,
10 June 2026
Adjective
-
And that's especially true in a big, raucous, diverse, argumentative democracy like the United States of America.—
Sara Tenenbaum,
CBS News,
18 June 2026
-
Guy, whose fastball has reached 91 mph and sits in the high 80s, was pumped up to pitch as the raucous, standing-room only crowd electrified the ballpark’s atmosphere.—
Richard Dunn,
Oc Register,
18 June 2026
Noun
-
An allegation last year by a provincial police commander that top officers and officials were colluding with organized criminals led Ramaphosa to announce a national investigation into police corruption.—
Michelle Gumede,
Los Angeles Times,
13 June 2026
-
Roman emperors, sometimes urged on by the crowd, were known to grant pardons (to criminals) and freedom (to the enslaved) after an especially noteworthy performance.—
Cullen Murphy,
The Atlantic,
13 June 2026
Adjective
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And the mess wasn’t just localized to the trash can—there were husks everywhere, like rose petals tossed by a rambunctious 4-year-old flower girl thrilled to be at her first wedding.—
Josh Miller,
Southern Living,
12 June 2026
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And yet on The Goonies, there’s seven of us, wild and crazy full of energy, loud, rambunctious.—
Bilge Ebiri,
Vulture,
10 June 2026
Noun
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In that version, the character is played by Joe Don Baker, the great character actor known for playing toughs in films like Walking Tall (1973) and Fletch (1985).—
Britt Hayes,
Entertainment Weekly,
5 June 2026
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So, while Rue and Maddy are confabbing over milkshakes in a diner, Alamo sends Rue off for a drive with his two toughs, G (Marshawn Lynch) and the icy Bishop (Darrell Britt-Gibson).—
Marlow Stern,
Variety,
11 May 2026
Adjective
-
The ranch saloon sits across from the open yard—and around the corner and up a hill of long yellow grass is the outdoor rodeo arena, home to lively summer rodeos every week in the summer season.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
16 June 2026
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Baltimore is best known for its maritime history and lively harbor, with plenty to see and do, from the National Aquarium to the cobblestone streets and waterfront views of Fell's Point.—
Lauren Dana Ellman,
Travel + Leisure,
15 June 2026
Noun
-
Neither immigrant family should be linked to violent gangsters, of course.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
13 June 2026
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By telling a relatively straightforward story that blends real people from the era of the Gotti Mafia family with imagined characters, Martin Scorsese's dramedy biopic about a kid who falls in love with the gangster life is as even-keeled as anything the director has made.—
Eric Farwell,
Entertainment Weekly,
12 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Rowdy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rowdy. Accessed 20 Jun. 2026.
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