bullhorn
Americannoun
noun
Etymology
Origin of bullhorn
Compare meaning
How does bullhorn compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:
Explanation
A bullhorn is a hand-held device that makes your voice sound much louder when you speak into it. You might address a crowd at a rally or protest by talking into a bullhorn. While in the US, most people know what a bullhorn is, in other places it's called a megaphone. Bullhorns amplify sound, sometimes simply using their cone-like shape, and in other cases using electricity. Anyone who needs to get the attention of a large or noisy group might use a bullhorn to be heard. The word may be based on the shape of a bull's horn, although experts aren't sure about its origin.
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.
CHICAGO—When Maria Moctezuma learned that a project on busy Archer Avenue would replace on-street parking with bike lanes and reduce traffic from two lanes to one, she mobilized residents and grabbed a bullhorn to protest.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 30, 2026
Without a bullhorn or any sort of amplification, Bovino informed the crowd that they were being dispersed.
From Salon ● Apr. 15, 2026
He was constantly barking orders to the Santas, bullhorn in hand.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 11, 2025
Then a familiar voice on a bullhorn cut through the clamor: Zohran Mamdani had taken the train in from New York to join the crowd.
From Slate ● Jun. 25, 2025
“We’re not going anywhere,” I say into the bullhorn.
From "Internment" by Samira Ahmed
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.
