raucous
adjective
rau·cous ˈrȯ-kəs 
1
: disagreeably harsh or strident : hoarse
raucous voices
2
: boisterously disorderly
a … raucous frontier town
Truman Capote
Truman Capote raucously adverb
raucousness noun
Synonyms
- boisterous
- hell-raising
- knockabout
- rambunctious
- robustious
- roisterous
- rollicking
- rowdy
- rumbustious [chiefly British]
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
He stepped over one man, avoided a raucous group of inebriated merchant seamen staggering for their boats, ran up his steps into the large foyer … James Clavell, Gai-Jin, 1994 The scene was reminiscent of a college fraternity reunion, with plenty of backslapping, joking, hugging and raucous laughter. Lewis Beale, Chicago Tribune, 15 Feb. 1987 On the ledge of rock above this strange couple there stood three solemn buzzards, who, at the sight of the new comers uttered raucous screams of disappointment and flapped sullenly away. Arthur Conan Doyle, A Study in Scarlet, 1887 the partying neighbors kept up their raucous laughter half the night
James Clavell, Gai-Jin, 1994 The scene was reminiscent of a college fraternity reunion, with plenty of backslapping, joking, hugging and raucous laughter. Lewis Beale, Chicago Tribune, 15 Feb. 1987 On the ledge of rock above this strange couple there stood three solemn buzzards, who, at the sight of the new comers uttered raucous screams of disappointment and flapped sullenly away. Arthur Conan Doyle, A Study in Scarlet, 1887 the partying neighbors kept up their raucous laughter half the night Recent Examples on the Web The vote came during a raucous meeting where protesters shouted down council members and, at one point, brought the meeting to a halt. Julia Wick, Los Angeles Times, 6 Aug. 2022 The Town Council narrowly voted to approve the change late Monday night during a raucous meeting that lasted for more than four hours. From Usa Today Network And Wire Reports, USA TODAY, 19 May 2022 Videos show disc jockeys blaring raucous music as thousands of Hindus—mostly young men—spilled over from the chowk into nearby lanes. Supriya Sharma, Quartz, 15 Apr. 2022 In 2006, the neo-Nazi and white supremacist group Aryan Nations held a raucous meeting at the building, and, a year later, the American Nazi Party held a post-rally celebration at the shop. NBC News, 23 Mar. 2022 One parent was arrested during a raucous board meeting about the district’s policies for transgender students. Washington Post, 14 Mar. 2022 Utah Senate leaders expressed regret Wednesday afternoon following Tuesday’s raucous committee meeting that resulted in an audience member being hauled out in handcuffs. Bryan Schott, The Salt Lake Tribune, 3 Mar. 2022 With Bobby Zimmerman rocking on piano, the Golden Chords played a talent show in the school auditorium in 1957, and the principal pulled the plug on the raucous music. Chris Riemenschneider, Star Tribune, 20 May 2021 All-Stars was announced, the ovation crescendoed in raucous celebration. Jack Harris, Los Angeles Times, 19 July 2022 See More
Julia Wick, Los Angeles Times, 6 Aug. 2022 The Town Council narrowly voted to approve the change late Monday night during a raucous meeting that lasted for more than four hours. From Usa Today Network And Wire Reports, USA TODAY, 19 May 2022 Videos show disc jockeys blaring raucous music as thousands of Hindus—mostly young men—spilled over from the chowk into nearby lanes. Supriya Sharma, Quartz, 15 Apr. 2022 In 2006, the neo-Nazi and white supremacist group Aryan Nations held a raucous meeting at the building, and, a year later, the American Nazi Party held a post-rally celebration at the shop. NBC News, 23 Mar. 2022 One parent was arrested during a raucous board meeting about the district’s policies for transgender students. Washington Post, 14 Mar. 2022 Utah Senate leaders expressed regret Wednesday afternoon following Tuesday’s raucous committee meeting that resulted in an audience member being hauled out in handcuffs. Bryan Schott, The Salt Lake Tribune, 3 Mar. 2022 With Bobby Zimmerman rocking on piano, the Golden Chords played a talent show in the school auditorium in 1957, and the principal pulled the plug on the raucous music. Chris Riemenschneider, Star Tribune, 20 May 2021 All-Stars was announced, the ovation crescendoed in raucous celebration. Jack Harris, Los Angeles Times, 19 July 2022 See More Word History
Etymology
Latin raucus hoarse; akin to Latin ravis hoarseness
First Known Use
1769, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Kids Definition
raucous
adjective
rau·cous ˈrȯ-kəs
1
: loud and harsh
raucous laughter
2
: behaving in a rough and noisy way
a raucous crowd
raucous
adjective
as in boisterous
being rough or noisy in a high-spirited way the partying neighbors kept up their raucous laughter half the night Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- boisterous
- rowdy
- rambunctious
- rollicking
- lively
- noisy
- violent
- rumbustious
- knockabout
- robustious
- carnival
- riotous
- screaming
- hell-raising
- roisterous
- wild and woolly
- wild
- exuberant
- turbulent
- carnivalesque
- uninhibited
- raffish
- uncontrolled
- uncontrollable
- impassioned
- bubbly
- ruffianly
- unruly
- vociferous
- obstreperous
- undisciplined
- tempestuous
- vivacious
- effervescent
- clamorous
- yelling
- strident
- unmanageable
- stormy
- unrestrained
- buoyant
- rowdyish
- ungovernable
- larrikin
- sprightly
- headstrong
- intractable
- rampageous
- howling
- unreserved
- recalcitrant
- high-spirited
- rackety
- loudmouthed
- willful
- wilful
- callithumpian
- openmouthed
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- somber
- solemn
- sombre
- orderly
- staid
- dignified
- sedate
- quiet
- sober
- decorous
- silent
- peaceful
- hushed
- serene
- tranquil
- proper
- restrained
- placid
- calm
- subdued
- noiseless
- seemly
- unflappable
- unruffled
- controlled
- reasonable
- collected
- soundless
- composed
- moderate
- repressed
- imperturbable
- inhibited
- temperate
- stoic
- stolid
- stoical
- phlegmatic
- constrained
- impassive
- indifferent
- aloof
- depressed
- detached
- self-controlled
Synonym Chooser
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
The meanings of earsplitting and raucous largely overlap; however, earsplitting implies loudness that is physically discomforting.
the earsplitting sound of a siren
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
The words stentorian and raucous can be used in similar contexts, but stentorian implies great power and range.
an actor with a stentorian voice
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