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 But this original location remains home to a boisterous bar and restaurant. Brad Japhe, Travel + Leisure, 22 Jan. 2025 With car horns, air horns, wooden ratchet noisemakers and hundreds of voices in unison, protesters expressed their boisterous opposition on Sunday afternoon to the deportations of the second Trump administration. Cody Copeland, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 27 Jan. 2025 Bao Li, the boisterous male, has strong links to the nation’s capital. Meilan Solly, Smithsonian Magazine, 24 Jan. 2025 Lincoln Financial Field is a nightmare for opposing teams given Eagles fans are boisterous and belligerent. Richard Deitsch, The Athletic, 16 Jan. 2025 See all Example Sentences for boisterous 
Recent Examples of Synonyms for boisterous
Adjective
  • Smith, Kesha, Williams and more were spotted at Casa Cipriani in downtown Manhattan, tucked into the VIP section of a small dance party that got more raucous as the night progressed.
    Anna Kaufman, USA TODAY, 8 Feb. 2025
  • In New Orleans, raucous parades and celebrations during the Mardi Gras period – which take place all around the city – have sometimes been the site of gun violence.
    Jason Morris, CNN, 6 Feb. 2025
Adjective
  • The rowdy crowd took advantage of the proximity by being unusually chatty.
    Jordan Runtagh, People.com, 12 Feb. 2025
  • Eventually, Payne learned to lean into the loose, cheeky, respectfully rowdy aura One Direction cultivated during their peak years.
    Federico Fahsbender, Rolling Stone, 11 Feb. 2025
Adjective
  • 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
  • There was the lesion, the scans, the meds and the debilitating reactions to too much stimuli, which flared up when his three rambunctious children hit overdrive.
    Bryce Miller, San Diego Union-Tribune, 21 Jan. 2025
Adjective
  • That judgment works for me, but of course in their lively custom NR readers should feel free to improve my understanding of the matter in the comments section.
    Neal B. Freeman, National Review, 11 Feb. 2025
  • If the fashion on the sidelines wasn't enough to hype up attendees, a lively dance performance to kick off the runway show did the trick.
    Anika Reed, USA TODAY, 11 Feb. 2025
Adjective
  • White Noise—The womb is a noisy place, so a white-noise machine, fan, or vacuum can create a familiar, calming background sound.
    Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 12 Feb. 2025
  • The background gets predictably noisy due to the Tiny SE’s small sensor, showing significantly more grain across flat surfaces than the Tiny 2.
    PCMAG, PCMAG, 6 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
  • Long before 17-year-old Solomon Henderson walked into his school cafeteria with a gun, authorities in Tennessee were alerted to his threatening and violent behavior.
    Aliyya Swaby, ProPublica, 8 Feb. 2025
  • Those villains, led by Giancarlo Esposito's Sidewinder, now appear as highly skilled and incredibly violent mercenaries hired to steal samples of the indestructible metal known as adamantium for an unknown buyer.
    Nick Romano, EW.com, 7 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

Thesaurus Entries Near boisterous

Cite this Entry

“Boisterous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/boisterous. Accessed 22 Feb. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on boisterous

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