vociferous

adjective

vo·​cif·​er·​ous vō-ˈsi-f(ə-)rəs 

: 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."

Synonyms

• blatant
• caterwauling
• clamant
• clamorous
• obstreperous
• squawking
• vociferant
• vociferating
• yawping
• yauping
• yowling

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

In 1972, Muhammad Ali was scheduled to compete in South Africa, but a vociferous campaign dissuaded him from doing so. —Arash Azizi, The Atlantic, 20 Nov. 2024

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

Word History

First Known Use

1700, in the meaning defined above

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Kids Definition

vociferous

adjective

vo·​cif·​er·​ous vō-ˈsif-(ə-)rəs 

: making a loud outcry : noisy, clamorous

vociferously adverb