Definition of raucousnext

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective raucous contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of raucous are earsplitting, loud, stentorian, and strident. While all these words mean "marked by intensity or volume of sound," raucous implies a loud harsh grating tone, especially of voice, and may suggest rowdiness.

the raucous shouts of drunken revelers

When is it sensible to use earsplitting instead of raucous?

The meanings of earsplitting and raucous largely overlap; however, earsplitting implies loudness that is physically discomforting.

the earsplitting sound of a siren

Where would loud be a reasonable alternative to raucous?

The words loud and raucous are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, loud applies to any volume above normal and may suggest undue vehemence or obtrusiveness.

loud shouts of protest

When is stentorian a more appropriate choice than raucous?

The words stentorian and raucous can be used in similar contexts, but stentorian implies great power and range.

an actor with a stentorian voice

When might strident be a better fit than raucous?

In some situations, the words strident and raucous are roughly equivalent. However, 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 raucous His remarks were met with raucous applause from a CPAC crowd that included hundreds of Iranian monarchists living in the US. Moriah Thomas, CNN Money, 28 Mar. 2026 Trump's campaign used footage of the raucous ovation to help launch its TikTok account. ABC News, 28 Mar. 2026 In the middle years of its third-generation SL’s record-setting 18-year run, Mercedes decided to go rally racing—an off-road sport characterized by raucous, unruly competition and rooster tails of gravel. Brett Berk, Robb Report, 27 Mar. 2026 Rocketship’s 1996 debut, A Certain Smile, A Certain Sadness, then, sits at the crossroads, marking a transition between the raucous, exuberant indie pop of its moment and the more tender, literary form the genre would soon take. David Glickman, Pitchfork, 27 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for raucous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for raucous
Adjective
  • In keeping with carnival’s bold, boisterous atmosphere, these public figures are frequently accompanied by World War II-era symbols.
    Tim Brinkhof, JSTOR Daily, 1 Apr. 2026
  • The children are giggly and boisterous, their voices ricocheting off the walls around us.
    Anderson Tepper, Literary Hub, 30 Mar. 2026
Adjective
  • Everything seems possible after a nervy 136-134 overtime victory over San Antonio at rowdy Ball Arena.
    Troy Renck, Denver Post, 5 Apr. 2026
  • Someone had stashed a film camera in an apartment high above the plaza, capturing a scene of rowdy onlookers feasting on sausage sandwiches and uncorking bottles of wine as—after a series of delays—the blade dropped on Weidmann’s nape.
    Lauren Collins, New Yorker, 1 Apr. 2026
Adjective
  • 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
  • And in the nation’s third-largest city, home to one of the most rambunctious celebrations of the holiday, young partygoers were eager to swagger between bars and parties with the drinks, usually dyed kelly green.
    Alice Yin, Chicago Tribune, 17 Mar. 2026
Adjective
  • Participants are able to create a schedule for themselves that supports more solo contemplative space or lively group experiences.
    Moira McCarthy, Boston Herald, 29 Mar. 2026
  • South Elgin’s protest was just as lively.
    Gloria Casas, Chicago Tribune, 29 Mar. 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
  • The experience of Gando will also enrich a timber day-care center now going up on a noisy street in Munich.
    Justin Davidson, Curbed, 1 Apr. 2026
  • Greg Bovino, Border Patrol’s former commander at large, with the big coat that definitely does not give off a Nazi vibe, got one of the noisiest, rock-star receptions at CPAC when he was brought on stage by podcaster Benny Johnson.
    Rob Crilly, The Washington Examiner, 30 Mar. 2026
Adjective
  • 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
Adjective
  • Jessica Gorman delivered emotional remarks Saturday at a vigil in Yorktown Heights, New York, honoring her daughter — a Loyola University Chicago freshman whose life was cut short in what authorities describe as a sudden, violent attack.
    Sophia Compton, FOXNews.com, 29 Mar. 2026
  • That’s a reference to what Duncan always intended, and rightly so, as a holistic approach to the problem of violent crime, involving not just violence interrupting by former gang members turned peacekeepers but better education and job opportunities for the young people most at risk.
    The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 29 Mar. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Raucous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/raucous. Accessed 5 Apr. 2026.

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