Word of the Day
: December 4, 2010vociferous
playWhat It Means
: marked by or given to vehement insistent outcry
vociferous in Context
The toddler offered a vociferous protest when her mother scooped her up and carried her away from the lit menorah.
"Citizens of the United States are vociferous about the right to freedom of speech, especially when it comes to entertainment." -- From a review by Stuart Kemp in The Hollywood Reporter, October 22, 2010
Did You Know?
"Vociferous" derives from the word Latin "vox," which means "voice." But other English words can be used to describe those who compel attention by being loud and insistent. "Vociferous" implies a vehement shouting or calling out, but to convey the insistency of a demand or protest, "clamorous" might be a better choice. You could also use "strident" to suggest harsh and discordant noise in a protest, or "obstreperous" to imply loud, unruly and aggressive resistance to restraint. But someone who is noisy and turbulent due to high spirits rather than dissatisfaction might more aptly be called "boisterous."
Test Your Vocabulary with M-W Quizzes
Quick Quiz
What 8-letter relative of "vociferous" begins with "a" and can mean "a person who argues for a cause or proposal"? The answer is ...
