rumbustious

adjective

ˌrəm-ˈbəs-chəs How to pronounce rumbustious (audio)
Definition of rumbustiousnext
chiefly British
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 rumbustious 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
  1. boisterous
  2. raucous
  3. rambunctious
  4. rowdy
  5. rollicking
  6. lively
  7. noisy
  8. knockabout
Adjective
  • It’s known for its fresh seafood in a boisterous, almost beer-hall atmosphere.
    — Christopher Solomon, Travel + Leisure, 28 Oct. 2026
  • During the first Senate debate of the cycle in September at the Kansas State Fairgrounds, Marshall was repeatedly heckled and interrupted by boisterous audience members.
    — Matthew Kelly, Kansas City Star, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of boisterous
Adjective
  • Williams scored 28 of her 30 points in the second half and the Valkyries celebrated their first championship — in their second season in the league — in front of their raucous Ballhalla home crowd.
    — Lauren Williams, AJC.com, 1 Nov. 2026
  • But in those days, battle scenes were always accompanied by kind of raucous music.
    — Brian Hiatt, Rolling Stone, 1 Nov. 2026
Definition of raucous
Adjective
  • The rambunctious teenagers crammed into a lecture hall suddenly went quiet when a woman old enough to be their great-grandmother, and smaller in stature than many of them, approached the podium.
    — Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 28 Oct. 2026
  • Bryan echoing the Truckers is very good news, since their own rambunctious salad days eventually yielded some of this century’s best American anthems.
    — Grayson Haver Currin, Pitchfork, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of rambunctious
Adjective
  • Still, devotees of John Waters, Sean Baker, Todd Solondz and the Safdie brothers will sense that DeFalco is a kindred spirit, a filmmaker with an open-minded curiosity about the rowdier parts of the human zoo.
    — Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 23 Oct. 2026
  • Having been raised in a very golf-centric family myself, what struck me about your experience is how rowdy the tournament crowds have gotten.
    — Mikey O'Connell, HollywoodReporter, 19 Oct. 2026
Definition of rowdy
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
Definition of rollicking
Adjective
  • Common areas also include a lively lobby bar and cigar room for pours and puffs, respectively, as well as an impressive wine list with bottles sourced from all over the world.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Nov. 2026
  • That was the message behind a lively conversation at The Chef Assembly in Charlotte, a two-day gathering of leading chefs, restaurateurs, food writers and hospitality professionals to explore conversations shaping the restaurant industry.
    — Evan Moore November 5, Charlotte Observer, 5 Nov. 2026
Definition of lively
Adjective
  • Avoid rows near galleys and lavatories, which tend to be noisy and bright.
    — Iona Brannon, Travel + Leisure, 30 Oct. 2026
  • It’s typically done by helicopters, which are costly, noisy, and polluting.
    — Edd Gent, IEEE Spectrum, 29 Oct. 2026
Definition of noisy
Adjective
  • The style is almost knockabout, with a color palette reminiscent of Coralie Fargeat, but quickly evolves into its own thing with the arrival of Taquin as Margot, a medical student at a nearby hospital.
    — Damon Wise, Deadline, 15 May 2026
  • Though thematically vague, thinly plotted and without a reliably sympathetic soul to cling to, the movie has a mutinous energy and an absurd, knockabout charm; even its violence is more quirky than brutal.
    — JEANNETTE CATSOULIS, New York Times, 19 Jan. 2017
Definition of knockabout

Browse Nearby Words

rumblings
rumbustious
rumbustiousness
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Cite this Entry

“Rumbustious.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rumbustious. Accessed 8 Nov. 2026.

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