rambunctious
Americanadjective
-
difficult to control or handle; wildly boisterous.
a rambunctious child.
-
turbulently active and noisy.
a social gathering that became rambunctious and out of hand.
adjective
Other Word Forms
- rambunctiously adverb
- rambunctiousness noun
Etymology
Origin of rambunctious
An Americanism dating back to 1820–30; origin uncertain
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.
When I asked what time the neighbors we invited over for Thanksgiving wanted to come, they just informed me that their 4-year-old is too rambunctious to sit still for dinner.
From Salon • Nov. 26, 2025
The rambunctious Milei is maturing politically, UBS’ Czerwonko observes, “making efforts to appear more empathetic.”
From Barron's • Oct. 24, 2025
It’s widely accepted that the Ryder Cup has an environment that’s far more rambunctious than the typical golf tournament.
From The Wall Street Journal • Sep. 27, 2025
The Scot was also put off by a rambunctious fan behind the baseline - who was initially loudly supporting him before switching to root for Bautista Agut.
From BBC • Aug. 27, 2025
Down House was overflowing with rambunctious children, mostly boys.
From "Charles and Emma: The Darwins' Leap of Faith" by Deborah Heiligman
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.
