roar

1 of 2

verb

ˈrȯr 

roared; roaring; roars

intransitive verb

1

a

: to utter or emit a full loud prolonged sound

b

: to sing or shout with full force

2

a

: to make or emit a loud confused sound (such as background reverberation or rumbling)

b

: to laugh loudly

3

a

: to be boisterous or disorderly

b

: to proceed or rush with great noise or commotion

4

: to make a loud noise during inhalation (such as that of a horse affected with roaring)

transitive verb

1

: to utter or proclaim with a roar

2

: to cause to roar

roar

2 of 2

noun

1

: the deep cry of a wild animal (such as a lion)

2

: a loud deep cry (as of pain or anger)

3

: a loud continuous confused sound

the roar of the crowd

4

: a boisterous outcry

Synonyms

Verb

• bellow
• boom
• growl
• thunder

Noun

• clamor
• howl
• hubbub
• hue and cry
• hullabaloo
• noise
• outcry
• tumult
• uproar
• vociferation

Examples of roar in a Sentence

Verb

We heard a lion roar in the distance.

The joke got the crowd roaring.

The crowd roared its approval.

She roared at him for being late.

Noun

the roar of the airplane engines

the roar of the river

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

Before Chappell Roan had fans roaring Pink Pony Club, there was a different pony club that used to have Texans excited. —Marley Malenfant, Austin American-Statesman, 6 Dec. 2024

Aurora? McNEAL: Aurora calls back to roaring in the previous paragraph. —Ayad Akhtar, The Atlantic, 4 Dec. 2024

Noun

But for a few hours a day, the 4-month-old pygmy hippo springs to life, gumming on leaves, zooming around the compound and tossing her head in a silent, open-mouthed roar. —Andrew J. Campa, Los Angeles Times, 1 Dec. 2024

The roars that greet Ohio State’s three-and-out to start the game double as an enormous exhale. —Joe Rexrode, The Athletic, 24 Nov. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English roren, from Old English rārian; akin to Old High German rērēn to bleat

First Known Use

Verb

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1a

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing roar

• roar (back) to life
• sputter/roar to life

Kids Definition

roar

1 of 2 verb

ˈrō(ə)r 

ˈrȯ(ə)r

1

: to utter a long full loud sound

the lion roared

2

: to laugh loudly

3

: to say with a roar

roarer

ˈrōr-ər

ˈrȯr-

noun

roar

2 of 2 noun

1

a

: the deep loud cry of a wild animal (as a lion)

b

: a loud deep cry or shout

2

: a loud confused sound

the roar of the crowd