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
The movie is both exquisite and rumbustious, stylized and energized.
—
Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 5 May 2022
From 1657, when tea first became available in London’s coffeehouses, to the early seventeen-hundreds, when women were invited in, recreational tea drinking was the preserve of rumbustious gentlemen.
—David Kortava, The New Yorker, 17 Dec. 2021
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
In August Tito Mboweni, his rumbustious finance minister, published a paper proposing sweeping yet doable reforms.
—The Economist, 19 Oct. 2019
Another popular view holds that Mr Trump’s rude and rumbustious character is really a merit in a time of great geopolitical and spiritual danger.
—The Economist, 5 July 2019
Ausilia, destined for spinsterhood, switches her spying from the lovers to the rumbustious, intimidating Jewish family who gather around the couple.
—Tim Parks, Harper's magazine, 10 Feb. 2019
The rumbustious suffragettes are relegated to small etchings on the new statue’s plinth, a marginalisation that hints at lingering unease with their methods.
—The Economist, 19 Apr. 2018
Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 5 May 2022
From 1657, when tea first became available in London’s coffeehouses, to the early seventeen-hundreds, when women were invited in, recreational tea drinking was the preserve of rumbustious gentlemen.
—David Kortava, The New Yorker, 17 Dec. 2021
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
In August Tito Mboweni, his rumbustious finance minister, published a paper proposing sweeping yet doable reforms.
—The Economist, 19 Oct. 2019
Another popular view holds that Mr Trump’s rude and rumbustious character is really a merit in a time of great geopolitical and spiritual danger.
—The Economist, 5 July 2019
Ausilia, destined for spinsterhood, switches her spying from the lovers to the rumbustious, intimidating Jewish family who gather around the couple.
—Tim Parks, Harper's magazine, 10 Feb. 2019
The rumbustious suffragettes are relegated to small etchings on the new statue’s plinth, a marginalisation that hints at lingering unease with their methods.
—The Economist, 19 Apr. 2018
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rumbustious
Adjective
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The first evening is boisterous and rowdy, thanks in part to the blues music played by the twins’ cousin Sammie Moore (Miles Caton).—
Emily Zemler,
Rolling Stone,
19 Apr. 2025
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The siblings have very different personalities, as Jazz is calm and relaxed, whereas Jax is far more energetic and boisterous.—
Arick Wierson,
MSNBC Newsweek,
16 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Heat fans have been encouraged to wear white to Saturday’s game, and Adebayo expects a raucous atmosphere.—
Barry Jackson,
Miami Herald,
25 Apr. 2025
-
That’s about the only thing that went awry Thursday night for Golden and his new team, a sparkling partnership met with raucous applause that is sure to produce even more fireworks soon.—
Matt Schneidman,
New York Times,
25 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
White’s rambunctious guitars crackled with radio-transmitter static and whistled in high-frequency pitches.—
Bob Gendron,
Chicago Tribune,
11 Apr. 2025
-
The rambunctious East Hollywood rap group were key members of L.A.’s rap scene in the late 2010s.—
Cerys Davies,
Los Angeles Times,
6 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
This isn't the first time Ripa and Consuelos have dealt with a rowdy crowd.—
Esther Kang,
People.com,
17 Apr. 2025
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At various points, the judge threatened to throw the crowd out for being too rowdy.—
Susannah Cahalan,
Rolling Stone,
17 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Joy’s jazzy, smoky version of the Marvin Gaye classic, coupled with her velvety vocals, sparked another rollicking ovation led by John who was the first to stand up.—
Gail Mitchell,
Billboard,
4 Feb. 2023
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His setlist, a rollicking walk-down-memory-lane of solo hits, NKOTB favorites, standards, show tunes and cover songs, showcased his range as an entertainer, musical virtuoso and keen collaborator.—
Sonal Dutt,
Peoplemag,
23 Jan. 2023
Adjective
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His crossword is not themed, but the entry is lively nonetheless.—
Deb Amlen,
New York Times,
25 Apr. 2025
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Located right on the bustling Piazza delle Erbe, Verona’s liveliest piazza built atop the ancient Roman Capitolium, this museum gives new life to a majestic 17th-century palazzo.—
Laura Itzkowitz,
Travel + Leisure,
22 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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For example, secondary insomnia can develop due to issues such as chronic pain, a noisy environment, or stress about finances.—
Smita Patel,
Verywell Health,
28 Apr. 2025
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In a noisy job market, your personal brand, digital presence, and network are critical assets.—
Sho Dewan,
Forbes.com,
27 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
Angry Birds: Climate Change and Avian Migration Olivia Box April 3, 2022 Temperature fluctuations throughout the years are affecting bird migration and mating, with sometimes violent results.—
The Editors,
JSTOR Daily,
22 Apr. 2025
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Related: Trump administration captured 'very violent' top street gang leader.—
Krystal Nurse,
USA Today,
22 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Rumbustious.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rumbustious. Accessed 2 May. 2025.
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