as in boisterous
being rough or noisy in a high-spirited way
while American university debates tend to be sedate affairs, their counterparts in Oxford are wholeheartedly rumbustious
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Recent Examples of rumbustious
In the crowd at that rumbustious Democratic Convention in 1896 was a journeyman journalist, L. Frank Baum, who had a number of careers behind him by that time.
—
David McWilliams, Fortune, 16 Nov. 2025
Around this time, the outfit’s quirky, lightly rumbustious songs began to resonate across British press and radio; accessible while containing a marked dose of strangeness, Fontaine’s songwriting – at once emotionally raw and witty – boasted a strong multi-generational appeal.
—Sophie Williams, Billboard, 8 May 2025
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
The tech titans, with their somewhat rumbustious Bay Area staffers, look quite vulnerable.
—The Economist, 22 June 2020
David McWilliams, Fortune, 16 Nov. 2025
Around this time, the outfit’s quirky, lightly rumbustious songs began to resonate across British press and radio; accessible while containing a marked dose of strangeness, Fontaine’s songwriting – at once emotionally raw and witty – boasted a strong multi-generational appeal.
—Sophie Williams, Billboard, 8 May 2025
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
The tech titans, with their somewhat rumbustious Bay Area staffers, look quite vulnerable.
—The Economist, 22 June 2020
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rumbustious
Adjective
-
Assad’s 5 2/3 shutout innings in a 9-2 win over the Tampa Bay Rays earned an ovation from the boisterous Cubs fans who filled the ballpark.—
Meghan Montemurro,
Chicago Tribune,
8 Apr. 2026
-
This affords it plenty of privacy despite the windows on all sides, with the only immediate neighbors being a boisterous bunch of alpacas, goats, chicken, and cows.—
Bailey Berg,
Architectural Digest,
8 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
The raucous clip was co-directed by Carpenter and Margaret Qualley, and also co-stars Madelyn Cline.—
Emily Zemler,
Rolling Stone,
9 Apr. 2026
-
The show stars Levy and Ortega as Nicky and Morgan, the older children of Laurie Metcalf's Linda, a raucous New Jersey mother running for mayor.—
Nick Romano,
Entertainment Weekly,
9 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
If your pet is rambunctious, consider putting them up and waiting to introduce them when the situation is calm, especially if older folks will be showing up.—
Kaitlyn Yarborough,
Southern Living,
2 Apr. 2026
-
June is highlighted by a stop on the 30th Anniversary tour of the indelible Thievery Corporation (June 7), rambunctious rock/jam troupe Dogs in a Pile (June 5) and the warm-hug indie folk rock embrace of Blind Pilot and John Craigie (June 20).—
Aaron Davis,
Sacbee.com,
30 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
By night, the vibe is more adults-only, with rowdy singalongs at the Observation Deck champagne and piano bar, and sultry jazz vibes taking over the interior Living Room common space.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
11 Apr. 2026
-
Simpson released the rowdy disco delight Mutiny After Midnight — his second record under his alter ego, Johnny Blue Skies — last month.—
Angie Martoccio,
Rolling Stone,
9 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
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
-
His lightning guitar work — alongside a mandolinist, fiddler, upright-bassist and banjo player who are not too shabby on their respective strings themselves — delivered a rollicking half-hour that gave the fans in the bleachers plenty to dance to.—
Jared Kaufman,
Twin Cities,
21 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Family discussions will be lively.—
Georgia Nicols,
Denver Post,
5 Apr. 2026
-
By night, Ora’s lemon-yellow booths and terrazzo-crazy paving become a lively setting for Greco-Italian chef Ettore Botrini’s accessible but accomplished menu.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
5 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Both teachers stood with their classes last week during the noisy Thursday pep rally, smiling through most of the ceremony.—
Noah Alcala Bach,
San Antonio Express-News,
6 Apr. 2026
-
Sennheiser Noise-Canceling Headphones Deal The Sennheiser Momentum 4 headphones are the ultimate delete button for a noisy world.—
Juhi Wadia,
PC Magazine,
3 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
In 2023, a report from the Police Executive Research Forum, a national think tank on policing standards, called for police to put the brakes on car chases unless a violent crime has been committed and the suspect poses an imminent threat.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
5 Apr. 2026
-
The enemy was large and violent.—
Emily Hallas,
The Washington Examiner,
5 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Rumbustious.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rumbustious. Accessed 12 Apr. 2026.
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