cacophonous
Americanadjective
adjective
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of cacophonous
From the Greek word kakóphōnos, dating back to 1790–1800. See caco-, -phone, -ous
Explanation
The adjective cacophonous describes loud, harsh sounds, like the cacophonous racket your brother and his band mates make while trying to learn how to play their instruments. To correctly pronounce cacophonous, accent the second syllable: "cuh-CAW-fuh-nus." It is related to the Greek words kakos, meaning "bad, evil," and phone, or "voice." You may feel like you're facing something evil if you’re bombarded by the cacophonous sounds of, say, political pundits yelling at one another, or the chaotic sounds of traffic and voices on a busy urban street. Cacophonous is the opposite of harmonious.
Vocabulary lists containing cacophonous
100 SAT words Beginning with "C"
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Turn It Up! Synonyms for "Loud"
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Paper Towns
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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.
It’s already quite hot inside my shoebox apartment as the radiators clank away, drowning out my upstairs neighbor’s heavy footsteps with their cacophonous symphony.
From Salon • Feb. 7, 2026
In our cacophonous era, a library provides the solace of one author’s voice whispering into one reader’s ear.
From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 12, 2025
It is, inarguably, a very different show than the one that debuted three years ago, with far fewer cacophonous kitchen scenes, and many more Chicago-appreciating exteriors.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 27, 2025
“EAT THE SUN,” they chanted together, while making cacophonous sounds with their instruments.
From Slate • Apr. 8, 2024
She approached the cacophonous sleeper, now on his side.
From "The Inquisitor's Tale" by Adam Gidwitz
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.
