as in boisterous
being rough or noisy in a high-spirited way
a rowdy but good-natured group of teenagers
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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
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 rowdy
Fiifi Frimpong, New York Daily News, 9 Jan. 2026
One play revved up the Rebels and their rowdy fans.
—Dallas Morning News, 8 Jan. 2026
The breadth of Babau’s sound is impressive at a glance, even in a world where labels like Hausu Mountain offer plenty of rowdy digital improv.
—H.d. Angel, Pitchfork, 7 Jan. 2026
Its rowdy terrain is set within one of the planet’s only inland temperate rainforests and receives a whopping 400 to 500 inches of snow each season.
—Jen Murphy, Outside, 7 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for rowdy
Adjective
One play revved up the Rebels and their rowdy fans.
—Fiifi Frimpong, New York Daily News, 9 Jan. 2026
One play revved up the Rebels and their rowdy fans.
—Dallas Morning News, 8 Jan. 2026
The breadth of Babau’s sound is impressive at a glance, even in a world where labels like Hausu Mountain offer plenty of rowdy digital improv.
—H.d. Angel, Pitchfork, 7 Jan. 2026
Its rowdy terrain is set within one of the planet’s only inland temperate rainforests and receives a whopping 400 to 500 inches of snow each season.
—Jen Murphy, Outside, 7 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for rowdy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rowdy
Adjective
-
Cucinelli, speaking in boisterous Italian through a translator, recalls with a booming laugh.—
Nick Vivarelli,
Variety,
8 Jan. 2026
-
There was also a boisterous celebration in Cleveland's locker room after the game.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
5 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
In this black comedy adapted from the graphic novel, when a bunch of thugs come to her door demanding that Paige’s grandfather (Liam Neeson) help them out with a bank heist, Paige decides to rescue him by doing it herself, with her friends.—
Emily Temple,
Literary Hub,
12 Jan. 2026
-
Although the film became a template for white revenge fantasies, its street thugs are assembled with almost comic care to avoid racial bias.—
Adam Gopnik,
New Yorker,
12 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
The San Francisco 49ers looked right at home in that environment, beating the Eagles 23-19 at a raucous Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia on Sunday.—
Dieter Kurtenbach,
Mercury News,
12 Jan. 2026
-
Beyond New York, the Freedom Road Socialist Organization led raucous protests near the site of the killing soon after news spread of the shooting.—
Asra Q. Nomani , Nikolas Lanum , Michael Dorgan,
FOXNews.com,
9 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
The first thing to do is to reduce the damage to the United States, the inflow of guns and criminals and immigrants and drugs into the United States, the destabilizing of a key part of the Western Hemisphere.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
11 Jan. 2026
-
Also, place freezes with ChexSystems and the National Consumer Telecom and Utilities Exchange to stop criminals from opening bank accounts, phone lines, or utility services in his name.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
11 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
In India’s rambunctious and frenetic political system, tinkering with the voter list attracts enormous scrutiny, and even litigation.—
Esha Mitra,
CNN Money,
25 Dec. 2025
-
Rita described Francis as a rambunctious, smart kid who was doted on by his three little sisters.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
21 Dec. 2025
Noun
-
Doing so with a CVS receipt-long injury list is all kinds of tough.—
Steven Louis Goldstein,
New York Times,
10 Oct. 2025
-
The surge coincides with his tough on crime takeover of DC.—
Anna Commander,
MSNBC Newsweek,
3 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Chabada For a livelier scene, head to the main drag along Platja de l’Arenal to find Chabada.—
Liz Provencher,
Travel + Leisure,
9 Jan. 2026
-
The style throughout, irrespective of category, is lively without being hectic, a pleasing postmodern blend of contemporary, midcentury, and roughly Victorian elements.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
8 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Or downtown was too unsafe, during the gangster era.—
Jared Kaufman,
Twin Cities,
11 Jan. 2026
-
Beset by gangs and guns, the Haçienda faltered in the ’90s despite clever-sounding schemes such as replacing the club’s security with the gangsters themselves.—
Boris Kachka,
The Atlantic,
9 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Rowdy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rowdy. Accessed 15 Jan. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
