Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective stentorian contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of stentorian are earsplitting, loud, raucous, and strident. While all these words mean "marked by intensity or volume of sound," stentorian implies great power and range.

an actor with a stentorian voice

When is earsplitting a more appropriate choice than stentorian?

While in some cases nearly identical to stentorian, earsplitting implies loudness that is physically discomforting.

the earsplitting sound of a siren

When can loud be used instead of stentorian?

The meanings of loud and stentorian largely overlap; however, loud applies to any volume above normal and may suggest undue vehemence or obtrusiveness.

loud shouts of protest

When could raucous be used to replace stentorian?

The synonyms raucous and stentorian are sometimes interchangeable, but raucous implies a loud harsh grating tone, especially of voice, and may suggest rowdiness.

the raucous shouts of drunken revelers

When might strident be a better fit than stentorian?

The words strident and stentorian can be used in similar contexts, but strident implies a rasping discordant but insistent quality, especially of voice.

the strident voices of hecklers

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 stentorian The man standing at the podium has the steady, stentorian voice of an authority figure, someone who issues orders and expects them to be heeded without question, and the look of a zealot in his eyes. David Fear, Rolling Stone, 2 Aug. 2024 Darcy’s singing may sometimes bring to mind the stentorian declamations of the Fall’s Mark E. Smith, but there’s also a strain of petulant hot-guy brio in his voice that a Strokes fan might recognize. Jon Dolan, Rolling Stone, 14 June 2024 But its structure is traditional and its bursts of emotion, from stentorian speeches to frantic embraces and fistfights, can seem over the top. Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 28 Feb. 2024 Filmed while pregnant with her first daughter, the comedian cracks wry, filthy, and culturally specific jokes in a stentorian voice with equal shades of formidability and shrewd wit. Eric Farwell, EW.com, 9 Jan. 2024 See All Example Sentences for stentorian
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stentorian
Adjective
  • Arrowhead first set the Guinness world record for loudest stadium in 2013.
    Nate Taylor, New York Times, 30 May 2025
  • Polite applause follows each performance, with occasional loud cheering and outbursts of awe.
    Melanie Stetson Freeman, Christian Science Monitor, 29 May 2025
Adjective
  • That visual message was audibly reinforced at a deafening level as the crowd cheered their neighbors who spoke against the proposal and booed a NIPSCO official and other business leaders who spoke in favor of it.
    Shelley Jones, Chicago Tribune, 14 May 2025
  • Sudden showers of beer, cider, and other mysterious fluids became as integral to the vibe as the deafening roar of the crowd.
    Andrew McNicol, CNN, 22 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • Although it can be characterized by a ringing, pulsing, buzzing, hissing or squealing sound, audiologists say the source of the condition lies in the brain's neural networks.
    Adrianna Rodriguez, USA Today, 30 Apr. 2025
  • But with a will Strike all your harps and set them ringing; On hill and heath Let every breath Throw all its power into singing!
    Vinson Cunningham, The New Yorker, 25 Dec. 2024

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Cite this Entry

“Stentorian.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stentorian. Accessed 13 Jun. 2025.

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