boisterous
Americanadjective
-
rough and noisy; noisily jolly or rowdy; clamorous; unrestrained.
the sound of boisterous laughter.
- Synonyms:
- wild, violent, turbulent, tumultuous, tempestuous, impetuous, vociferous, loud, obstreperous, uproarious
-
(of waves, weather, wind, etc.) rough and stormy.
- Synonyms:
- wild, violent, turbulent, tumultuous, tempestuous
-
Obsolete. rough and massive.
adjective
-
noisy and lively; unrestrained or unruly
-
(of the wind, sea, etc) turbulent or stormy
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of boisterous
First recorded in 1425–75; late Middle English boistrous, variant of Middle English boistous “crude, fierce, gross, strong”; of obscure origin; possibly from Old French boisteus “lame,” from boist(e) “box,” also “cavity containing an organ, cavity in a bone” (ultimately from Late Latin buxis; see box 1 ( def. )) + -eus -eous ( def. )
Explanation
Boisterous is a word used to describe someone spirited, loud, and slightly out of control — like someone with a spring in their step and a song in their heart singing to strangers on the street. Boisterous means "loud, clamorous, and unrestrained." Think of children on a playground or a lively party or a litter of puppies as boisterous. This word, which comes from Middle English, can also refer to very intense storms. You could call a hurricane boisterous, but you will most likely hear this word used to describe people.
Vocabulary lists containing boisterous
100 Top "SAT" Words
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"The Lottery," Vocabulary from the short story
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"The Lottery" by Shirley Jackson
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
A revival of “The Rocky Horror Show” that opened in April had to post signs reminding audiences not to treat the production like a boisterous midnight screening of the cult film adaptation.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 8, 2026
So the only reasonable charge was violating the city ordinance against disturbing “the peace of others by violent, offensive or boisterous conduct or language,” but that was tacked on later, in February.
From Slate • May 4, 2026
Speed has built his brand and online persona on over-the-top, boisterous and sometimes aggressive reactions.
From BBC • Jan. 17, 2026
“White Lotus” stars Jason Isaacs and Aimee Lou Wood shared a boisterous laugh, while Powell made sure his parents were in his range of sight.
From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 12, 2026
A boisterous group wearing black-and-orange jerseys rode up the escalator.
From "Book Scavenger" by Jennifer Chambliss Bertman
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
