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loud

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adverb

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a loud voice
a high-volume voice
an outspoken voice
a thunderous voice
a raucous voice
a strong voice
loud applause
booming applause
huge applause
rowdy applause
abundant applause
noisy applause
a loud whisper
an aggressive whisper
an intense whisper
an exaggerated whisper
a strong whisper
a heavy whisper
a loud thud
a violent thud
a massive thud
a sharp thud
an audible thud
an enormous thud
loud noise
high-volume noise
excessive noise
big noise
annoying noise

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

Examples 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
Nearly every caller reported hearing a loud bang followed by feeling a strong vibration. Killian Baarlaer, The Courier-Journal, 4 Dec. 2024 Arguably the evening’s loudest ensemble, her understated no-makeup makeup recalled fashion’s muted past. India Espy-Jones, Essence, 3 Dec. 2024 Meanwhile, my dad — the lone male in a household full of women — occasionally earned himself gentle scolding for being too loud or inattentive during important conversations. Julianna Bragg, CNN, 3 Dec. 2024 This occurs when an object vibrates after being hit by sound waves at a higher amplitude, like when a drummer hits a drum and the instrument and air vibrate to create a loud sound. Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 22 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for loud 
Recent Examples of Synonyms for loud
Adjective
  • 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
  • McBride’s defense turned into offense that later induced more deafening pops from The Garden crowd.
    Fiifi Frimpong, New York Daily News, 23 Apr. 2024
Adjective
  • In today’s noisy landscape, initial efforts to get a fledgling client noticed may fall short.
    Expert Panel®, Forbes, 12 Dec. 2024
  • Positive energy Bears wide receiver DJ Moore looked around a noisy Friday afternoon locker room when asked how the team has handled the recent coaching changes.
    Colleen Kane, Chicago Tribune, 6 Dec. 2024
Adjective
  • His ringing, carefree laugh mixed with soaring rhetoric about democracy, working families and hope.
    Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 7 Aug. 2024
  • Frey’s slow strumming and ringing, open chords add a country feel to what is, at its essence, an R&B waltz, and Meisner’s walking bass line summons a bluegrass feel.
    Rob Tannenbaum, Los Angeles Times, 28 July 2023
Adjective
  • Tinnitus is when someone hears ringing in the ears—or a buzzing or roaring sound.
    Carley Millhone, Health, 20 Oct. 2024
  • On her first day of filming, Ronan was thrown into a lively quickstep number in a roaring dance hall.
    Patrick Ryan, USA TODAY, 3 Oct. 2024
Adjective
  • The air was filled with the shrieks of men in agony, the crackle of machine gun fire, and the thunderous explosions that shook the ground.
    Alaa Elassar, CNN, 7 Dec. 2024
  • When the curtain rose to reveal Malin, following an introduction from The Sopranos actor and friend, Michael Imperioli, the ovation was thunderous.
    Joseph Hudak, Rolling Stone, 2 Dec. 2024

Thesaurus Entries Near loud

Cite this Entry

“Loud.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/loud. Accessed 22 Dec. 2024.

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