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
-
In the corner of the yard, the rooster is crowing away in boisterous voice.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
23 Apr. 2026
-
That lineage comes through in their ungovernable guitar noodling, inspired by underground icons NRBQ and Bottle Rockets, and a boisterous energy befitting of drunken basement shows.—
Nina Corcoran,
Pitchfork,
22 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Planning commission meetings in Joliet, Illinois, aren’t typically raucous affairs.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
22 Apr. 2026
-
The Bruins quieted the raucous Buffalo crowd when star center Morgan Geekie buried a slap shot into the back of the net from the high slot to give them a 1-0 lead about 11 minutes into the first period.—
Ryan Canfield,
FOXNews.com,
20 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Flyers fans stomped on the animal and nearly destroyed it before security scurried the souvenir away from the rambunctious crowd.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
23 Apr. 2026
-
In contrast to the Sussex children’s rambunctious backyard egg hunt, the children of Prince William and Princess Catherine spent part of their Easter having to parade to church in front of dozens of cameras, looking buttoned-up in formal suits and coats.—
Martha Ross,
Mercury News,
7 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
The new league was started by William Hulbert, owner of the Chicago team, after the National Association collapsed because of issues ranging from corruption to rowdy, drunken ballplayers to gambling factions that damaged the integrity of the game.—
Kirk Kenney,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
22 Apr. 2026
-
The pair were in Tuscaloosa over the weekend to play in front of a rowdy and packed house at Bryant-Denny Stadium, and that included giving fans a look at some new music.—
David Hookstead OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
20 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Murphy then appeared on stage to a rollicking standing ovation and made his way to his place at the dais toward the back of the room.—
Pete Hammond,
Deadline,
19 Apr. 2026
-
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
Adjective
-
This lively street—lined with elegant colonial homes and cozy cafes and restaurants—culminates at the iconic Ex-Convento de San Bernardino de Siena, known for its nightly video-mapping shows projected in Spanish and in English.—
Regina Zumarraga,
Travel + Leisure,
27 Apr. 2026
-
The suit included some versions of Indiana’s trademark work, LOVE, which depicts the word love in lively serif characters, the LO situated atop the VE, with the O placed at an angle.—
Brian Boucher,
ARTnews.com,
27 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
That involves deep focus, Poblete explained, which requires quiet areas, not the open, often noisier workspaces that are more popular in today's newer offices.—
Diana Olick,
CNBC,
22 Apr. 2026
-
Additionally, the system remains robust under noisy and incomplete sensor data, confirming its practicality for real-world robotic applications.—
Jijo Malayil,
Interesting Engineering,
22 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Opponents will learn about his violent play style very quickly.—
Dane Brugler,
New York Times,
27 Apr. 2026
-
The government actually deported more than six hundred and seventy-five thousand people, but getting just to that number involved broad and violent sweeps and the expulsion of people who were in the country legally, actions that led to widespread protests.—
Benjamin Wallace-Wells,
New Yorker,
26 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Rumbustious.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rumbustious. Accessed 30 Apr. 2026.
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