loud 1 of 2

Definition of loudnext

loud

2 of 2

adverb

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective loud contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of loud are earsplitting, raucous, stentorian, and strident. While all these words mean "marked by intensity or volume of sound," loud applies to any volume above normal and may suggest undue vehemence or obtrusiveness.

loud shouts of protest

When can earsplitting be used instead of loud?

In some situations, the words earsplitting and loud are roughly equivalent. However, earsplitting implies loudness that is physically discomforting.

the earsplitting sound of a siren

When is it sensible to use raucous instead of loud?

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

the raucous shouts of drunken revelers

In what contexts can stentorian take the place of loud?

The meanings of stentorian and loud largely overlap; however, stentorian implies great power and range.

an actor with a stentorian voice

Where would strident be a reasonable alternative to loud?

Although the words strident and loud have much in common, 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 loud
Adjective
Lack of support compounded 'traitor' narrative, Greene says Greene was one of the president's earliest and loudest supporters during his first term, and worked relentlessly on his reelection campaign in 2024, appearing with the president at multiple events. Irene Wright, USA Today, 29 May 2026 The best leaders aren’t the loudest people in the room during uncertainty. Christine Lentz, Fortune, 29 May 2026
Adverb
There is a genre of content on social media where people sit in front of a camera and read their credit card balances out loud—and not from one card, but all of them. Catherina Gioino, Fortune, 9 May 2026 Don’t skip Thunder Hole, a rock inlet where waves crash loud enough to feel in your chest. Lauren Schuster, Charlotte Observer, 29 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for loud
Recent Examples of Synonyms for loud
Adjective
  • That doesn’t mean the Avs can’t enjoy themselves, feel pride in an accomplishment or revel in the deafening roar when MacKinnon fired the perfect shot at the perfect time.
    Mark Lazerus, New York Times, 14 May 2026
  • Records say the sound created a deafening roar across Copenhagen.
    CBS News, CBS News, 2 Apr. 2026
Adjective
  • Low noise levels for quiet cleaning Most people assume that pressure washers are noisy.
    BestReviews, Chicago Tribune, 27 May 2026
  • Google’s Fitbit Air is a breath of fresh air in a suffocatingly noisy tech landscape.
    Luciana Paulise, Forbes.com, 27 May 2026
Adverb
  • In another day and age, the United States would have loudly condemned it.
    CBS News, CBS News, 31 May 2026
  • As his name was called and the principal shook his hand, the arena roared loudly.
    Gregory Royal Pratt, Chicago Tribune, 29 May 2026
Adjective
  • There is performance and rage, humor and babies, bell ringing and escape rooms.
    Erica Firpo, Forbes.com, 14 May 2026
  • Hana liked it enough to take some home, which in the Test Kitchen is a ringing endorsement!
    Shilpa Uskokovic, Bon Appetit Magazine, 1 Apr. 2026
Adverb
  • Egerton, by contrast, gets to grandstand a bit more flamboyantly.
    Guy Lodge, Variety, 23 Apr. 2026
  • Across medieval Europe, aristocrats repeatedly set off fashion fads and scandals by wearing poulaines, shoes whose flamboyantly elongated pointed toes could stretch far beyond the natural length of their feet.
    Leah Asmelash, CNN Money, 13 Mar. 2026
Adjective
  • Highlights there included The Bear actor Matty Matheson’s hardcore outfit Pigpen, which saw the Canadian chef/singer eschew his comical persona for a restless and roaring performance; and L.A.’s Health, whose industrial-tinged metal was both ethereal and clamorous.
    Lina Lecaro, Rolling Stone, 27 Apr. 2026
  • Rudy Gobert and a roaring, black-out playoff crowd towered over him.
    Bennett Durando, Denver Post, 24 Apr. 2026
Adverb
  • Bryan Fuller’s expressionistic procedural is ostentatiously gruesome, yes, but the increasingly disturbing interplay between Will and Hannibal — cat and mouse, will-they/won’t they — is a full course meal on its own.
    Matt Cabral, Entertainment Weekly, 10 Apr. 2026
  • In her closet were seven Ungaros, three Rykiels, a Kamali bathing suit and a Kamali sleeping-bag coat, five Kenzo dresses, two pieces from the Ballets Russes collection of Saint Laurent—all of which were trades or payments in kind, none of them mothballed, but instead worn ostentatiously and often.
    Han Ong, New Yorker, 15 Mar. 2026
Adjective
  • The blast in Indonesia's restive eastern Papua region startled locals with a thunderous boom on Sunday afternoon, emitting a ball of flames followed by a thick smoke column, according to footage broadcast on Kompas TV.
    CBS News, CBS News, 1 June 2026
  • In March, India’s home minister declared that the fight against Naxalism had been won – to thunderous applause in parliament.
    Dhruv Tikekar, CNN Money, 30 May 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Loud.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/loud. Accessed 3 Jun. 2026.

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