Synonym Chooser

How is the word boisterous different from other adjectives like it?

Some common synonyms of boisterous are blatant, clamorous, obstreperous, strident, and vociferous. While all these words mean "so loud or insistent as to compel attention," boisterous suggests a noisiness and turbulence due to high spirits.

a boisterous crowd of party goers

When would blatant be a good substitute for boisterous?

The words blatant and boisterous can be used in similar contexts, but blatant implies an offensive bellowing or insensitive loudness.

blatant rock music
a blatant clamor for impeachment

When is it sensible to use clamorous instead of boisterous?

While in some cases nearly identical to boisterous, clamorous may imply insistency as well as vociferousness in demanding or protesting.

clamorous demands for prison reforms

In what contexts can obstreperous take the place of boisterous?

The meanings of obstreperous and boisterous largely overlap; however, obstreperous suggests unruly and aggressive noisiness and resistance to restraint.

the obstreperous demonstrators were arrested

Where would strident be a reasonable alternative to boisterous?

While the synonyms strident and boisterous are close in meaning, strident suggests harsh and discordant noise.

heard the strident cry of the crow

When is vociferous a more appropriate choice than boisterous?

In some situations, the words vociferous and boisterous are roughly equivalent. However, vociferous implies a vehement shouting or calling out.

vociferous cries of protest and outrage

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 boisterous Former Trump aide Steve Bannon praised them during his boisterous address to CPAC Thursday evening. Hailey Bullis, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 21 Feb. 2025 But his zigzagging flow here, timed to increasingly boisterous jazz, is mesmerizing. 72. Stephen Kearse, Vulture, 4 Feb. 2025 Expect a vibrant atmosphere, perhaps too boisterous for some, at any time of day. Carley Rojas Avila, Travel + Leisure, 2 Feb. 2025 In matters of texture, cotton, knits, and compelling fabrics arrived in the form of modern corsetry, slick pantsuits, and boisterous dresses in assorted hues. Robyn Mowatt, Essence, 7 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for boisterous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for boisterous
Adjective
  • The result was a raucous and at times sentimental at television's most famous comedy hour.
    Anna Kaufman, USA TODAY, 22 Feb. 2025
  • Image As for other noise, sports-watching venues across Canada were raucous.
    Vjosa Isai, New York Times, 22 Feb. 2025
Adjective
  • The cheapest tickets are in the supporter section, where rowdy fans will be cheering, chanting and standing for the whole game.
    Kate Murphy, Axios, 27 Feb. 2025
  • Trump’s reelection was a high-water mark for the rowdy rightwing politics and culture that CPAC has long nurtured, and he was treated like a conquering hero during his speech on Saturday.
    Zac Anderson, USA TODAY, 27 Feb. 2025
Adjective
  • Bochy and pitcher Nathan Eovaldi said without Hedges last season, the Rangers’ dugout was a different, less rambunctious place.
    Ken Rosenthal, The Athletic, 25 Feb. 2025
  • There’s no real shape to their journey, no unexpected pitfalls or subplots or surprises; even a rambunctious interlude in a modern-day supermarket feels curiously predetermined.
    Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 26 Jan. 2025
Adjective
  • Riverdale In Riverdale, outside Village Hall, there was a lively scene Tuesday afternoon as members of Michael Airhart’s mayoral campaign were ordered to remove their campaign signs from a median.
    Samantha Moilanen, Chicago Tribune, 25 Feb. 2025
  • Around the room’s standing tables and plush, blush-pink lounge seats, friends, castmates, and both new and familiar faces engaged in lively conversation.
    Jamila Stewart, Vogue, 24 Feb. 2025
Adjective
  • To fix a noisy box spring, add sturdy material, such as thick cardboard or a thin piece of plywood in between the box spring and mattress.
    Yelena Moroz Alpert, Architectural Digest, 27 Feb. 2025
  • Despite being a man down, Ruben Amorim’s side were relatively comfortable in the second half as a noisy Old Trafford crowd enjoyed a win that increased the gap between the two teams to 16 points.
    Laurie Whitwell, The Athletic, 26 Feb. 2025
Adjective
  • 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
  • His setlist, a rollicking walk-down-memory-lane of solo hits, NKOTB favorites, standards, show tunes and cover songs, showcased his range as an entertainer, musical virtuoso and keen collaborator.
    Sonal Dutt, Peoplemag, 23 Jan. 2023
Adjective
  • The court approved desegregation plan was fiercely resisted by the Boston School Committee and the many parents who took to the streets in, sometimes violent, protest.
    Aaron Kupchik, TIME, 21 Feb. 2025
  • According to a recent survey by the Pew Research Center, nearly three-quarters of those polled disapproved of Mr. Trump’s pardons for people convicted of violent crimes, and more than half disliked his pardons for even those convicted of nonviolent offenses.
    Meridith Kohut, New York Times, 21 Feb. 2025
Adjective
  • The movie is both exquisite and rumbustious, stylized and energized.
    Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 5 May 2022
  • From 1657, when tea first became available in London’s coffeehouses, to the early seventeen-hundreds, when women were invited in, recreational tea drinking was the preserve of rumbustious gentlemen.
    David Kortava, The New Yorker, 17 Dec. 2021

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Cite this Entry

“Boisterous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/boisterous. Accessed 4 Mar. 2025.

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