raucous

adjective

ˈrȯ-kəs How to pronounce raucous (audio)
Definition of raucousnext
as in boisterous
being rough or noisy in a high-spirited way the partying neighbors kept up their raucous laughter half the night

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 The trial was a madly raucous media event, requiring many weeks and a sequestered jury. —Christopher Bonanos, Curbed, 1 Feb. 2026 Often favoring intimate, nervy tracking shots, Janis Mazuch’s cinematography is fluid and unassuming — save for in one showpiece shot, circling a raucous musical gathering in Pristina’s central town square. —Guy Lodge, Variety, 31 Jan. 2026 Liverpool came from behind to defeat Newcastle United at a raucous Anfield. —James Pearce, New York Times, 31 Jan. 2026 Anderson faced criticism online after his raucous menswear collection, shown during the men’s shows in Paris earlier this month, divided audiences. —CNN Money, 30 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for raucous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for raucous
  1. boisterous
  2. rowdy
  3. rambunctious
  4. lively
  5. rollicking
  6. noisy
  7. rumbustious
  8. violent
Adjective
  • After two weeks of filming in Kansas City, the cast and crew of ended their stay in Kansas City with a boisterous wrap party in a private karaoke suite at Offkey in Westport.
    — Lisa Gutierrez, Kansas City Star, 3 Feb. 2026
  • Koreatown’s many casual but boisterous offerings also await.
    — Arati Menon, Condé Nast Traveler, 30 Jan. 2026
Definition of boisterous
Adjective
  • Set between a rowdy wedding in the French countryside and a death commemoration ritual in a tiny African village, the film focuses on an extended clan that’s united, and sometimes divided, by the two major events taking place over the course of the movie.
    — Jordan Mintzer, HollywoodReporter, 14 Feb. 2026
  • At several times, the crowd turned rowdy and shouted down the hearing examiner.
    — Alysa Guffey, IndyStar, 12 Feb. 2026
Definition of rowdy
Adjective
  • Bagatelle is the slightly more rambunctious option.
    — Rebekah Evans, TheWeek, 5 Feb. 2026
  • Looking for a more romantic, less rambunctious dinner?
    — Molly Barstein, Vogue, 1 Feb. 2026
Definition of rambunctious
Adjective
  • Where there would once be huge lively crowds gathering in support of Hong Kong’s democracy figures, the mood was subdued and yet at the same time on edge.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 9 Feb. 2026
  • And lively neighborhoods like Myeongdong and Hongdae are hot spots for shopping, local street food, K-pop culture, and nightlife.
    — Taryn White, Travel + Leisure, 9 Feb. 2026
Definition of lively
Adjective
  • 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
  • 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
Definition of rollicking
Adjective
  • Closer to beach and mountain weekends, and to big, noisy holiday gatherings, and to raising children who got to see their grandparents all the time.
    — Théoden Janes, Charlotte Observer, 11 Feb. 2026
  • The album’s best moments come when Joji deploys the noisy, aggressive production favored by morose rappers like fakemink, Bladee, and Playboi Carti.
    — Mehan Jayasuriya, Pitchfork, 11 Feb. 2026
Definition of noisy
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
Definition of rumbustious
Adjective
  • Now polling suggests the public, and even Republican leaders in Congress, have stopped buying the White House’s claims that federal agents’ paramilitary-style raids only target violent criminals.
    — Ben Smith, semafor.com, 9 Feb. 2026
  • The takeover of the arts is less violent and a bit more insidious, but just as dangerous in its own right.
    — Voice of the People, New York Daily News, 8 Feb. 2026
Definition of violent

Browse Nearby Words

ratty
raucous
raucousness
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Raucous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/raucous. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of raucous for Spanish Speakers

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