Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective raucous contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of raucous are earsplitting, loud, stentorian, and strident. While all these words mean "marked by intensity or volume of sound," raucous implies a loud harsh grating tone, especially of voice, and may suggest rowdiness.

the raucous shouts of drunken revelers

When is it sensible to use earsplitting instead of raucous?

The meanings of earsplitting and raucous largely overlap; however, earsplitting implies loudness that is physically discomforting.

the earsplitting sound of a siren

Where would loud be a reasonable alternative to raucous?

The words loud and raucous are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, loud applies to any volume above normal and may suggest undue vehemence or obtrusiveness.

loud shouts of protest

When is stentorian a more appropriate choice than raucous?

The words stentorian and raucous can be used in similar contexts, but stentorian implies great power and range.

an actor with a stentorian voice

When might strident be a better fit than raucous?

In some situations, the words strident and raucous are roughly equivalent. However, strident implies a rasping discordant but insistent quality, especially of voice.

the strident voices of hecklers

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 raucous To raucous applause, Miss Chi strutted through a crowd of more than 300 students to sit in conversation with Cruel. Hunter Lacey, Allure, 14 Feb. 2025 Listen to this article Four men were charged with taking part in a raucous shootout outside a pair of Bronx schools that left an innocent victim with nine gunshot wounds. Ellen Moynihan, New York Daily News, 7 Feb. 2025 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 See All Example Sentences for raucous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for raucous
Adjective
  • If Nix’s first season was any indication, the Broncos have backed up Payton’s boisterous claim of a year ago.
    Nick Kosmider, The Athletic, 24 Feb. 2025
  • Encouraged by its best-ever result, with 20% of the vote, and boosted by the boisterous support of Elon Musk and others in the Trump Administration, the AfD is waiting in the wings.
    John Kampfner, TIME, 24 Feb. 2025
Adjective
  • Trump’s reelection was a high-water mark for the rowdy rightwing politics and culture that CPAC has long nurtured, and he was treated like a conquering hero during his speech on Saturday.
    Zac Anderson, USA TODAY, 27 Feb. 2025
  • The cheapest tickets are in the supporter section, where rowdy fans will be cheering, chanting and standing for the whole game.
    Kate Murphy, Axios, 27 Feb. 2025
Adjective
  • Bochy and pitcher Nathan Eovaldi said without Hedges last season, the Rangers’ dugout was a different, less rambunctious place.
    Ken Rosenthal, The Athletic, 25 Feb. 2025
  • 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
Adjective
  • Riverdale In Riverdale, outside Village Hall, there was a lively scene Tuesday afternoon as members of Michael Airhart’s mayoral campaign were ordered to remove their campaign signs from a median.
    Samantha Moilanen, Chicago Tribune, 25 Feb. 2025
  • Around the room’s standing tables and plush, blush-pink lounge seats, friends, castmates, and both new and familiar faces engaged in lively conversation.
    Jamila Stewart, Vogue, 24 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
  • To fix a noisy box spring, add sturdy material, such as thick cardboard or a thin piece of plywood in between the box spring and mattress.
    Yelena Moroz Alpert, Architectural Digest, 27 Feb. 2025
  • Despite being a man down, Ruben Amorim’s side were relatively comfortable in the second half as a noisy Old Trafford crowd enjoyed a win that increased the gap between the two teams to 16 points.
    Laurie Whitwell, The Athletic, 26 Feb. 2025
Adjective
  • According to a recent survey by the Pew Research Center, nearly three-quarters of those polled disapproved of Mr. Trump’s pardons for people convicted of violent crimes, and more than half disliked his pardons for even those convicted of nonviolent offenses.
    Meridith Kohut, New York Times, 21 Feb. 2025
  • Of eight policies surveyed, his pardoning of people convicted of violent crimes in the January 6 Capitol riots was the least popular.
    Danielle Chemtob, Forbes, 21 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

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Cite this Entry

“Raucous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/raucous. Accessed 4 Mar. 2025.

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