vociferous

adjective

vo·​cif·​er·​ous vō-ˈsi-f(ə-)rəs How to pronounce vociferous (audio)
: marked by or given to vehement insistent outcry
vociferously adverb
vociferousness noun

Did you know?

Hear ye! Hear ye! To vociferate is "to cry out loudly" so it’s perhaps unsurprising that the adjective vociferous is used to describe those who are loud and proud, who show their support or displeasure for something or someone by hootin' and hollerin'. Both vociferate and vociferous come from the Latin vociferari, a combining of vox, meaning "voice," with ferre, meaning "to carry." In addition to describing loud and insistent individuals and groups—critics, crowds, fans, et al.—vociferous can be used for anything characterized by loud insistence, as in "vociferous complaints," "a vociferous defense," and "vociferous support."

Choose the Right Synonym for vociferous

vociferous, clamorous, blatant, strident, boisterous, obstreperous mean so loud or insistent as to compel attention.

vociferous implies a vehement shouting or calling out.

vociferous cries of protest and outrage

clamorous may imply insistency as well as vociferousness in demanding or protesting.

clamorous demands for prison reforms

blatant implies an offensive bellowing or insensitive loudness.

blatant rock music
a blatant clamor for impeachment

strident suggests harsh and discordant noise.

heard the strident cry of the crow

boisterous suggests a noisiness and turbulence due to high spirits.

a boisterous crowd of party goers

obstreperous suggests unruly and aggressive noisiness and resistance to restraint.

the obstreperous demonstrators were arrested

Examples of vociferous in a Sentence

He is her most vociferous critic. He was vociferous in his support of the proposal. The decision was made over their vociferous objections.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
But in 2014, Amira Hass, Haaretz’s correspondent in Ramallah and a vociferous critic of the Israeli occupation, was kicked out of an event at Bir Zeit University by two professors. Arash Azizi, The Atlantic, 20 Nov. 2024 The terrace where Middlesbrough’s more vociferous fans would congregate is further commemorated in a series of street names that include The Midfield and The Turnstile. Richard Sutcliffe, The Athletic, 12 Aug. 2024 Zoom out: While these protests may be vociferous, there's an equally deafening volume of grievances the SEC sees. Hope King, Axios, 28 Oct. 2024 When the film premiered at TIFF, critics were divided; Roger Ebert was (and remained) a strong defender, but there were vociferous pans, too. Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 15 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for vociferous 

Word History

First Known Use

1700, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of vociferous was in 1700

Podcast

Dictionary Entries Near vociferous

Cite this Entry

“Vociferous.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/vociferous. Accessed 3 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

vociferous

adjective
vo·​cif·​er·​ous vō-ˈsif-(ə-)rəs How to pronounce vociferous (audio)
: making a loud outcry : noisy, clamorous
vociferously adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on vociferous

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!