adjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of raucous
1760–70; < Latin raucus hoarse, harsh, rough; see -ous
Compare meaning
How does raucous compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:
Explanation
Raucous means unpleasantly loud, or behaving in a noisy and disorderly way. It can be hard to give an oral report in the front of a classroom when the kids in the back are being raucous. Raucous is often used to refer to loud laughter, loud voices, or a loud party, all of which can be harsh or unpleasant. Near synonyms are strident and rowdy. This adjective is from Latin raucus "hoarse." Think of raucous as people whose hoarseness can't come on too soon.
Vocabulary lists containing raucous
A Raisin in the Sun
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The Book Thief
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Death of a Salesman
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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 also earned 28-year-old Salam a place on the Observer's list of the best debut novelists of 2026, with the paper saying "his raucous, wildly inventive prose is bound for a much bigger audience".
From BBC • May 22, 2026
The Texas Gentlemen get categorized as country, but their range, well-demonstrated on the new album, includes raucous roots rock, electric blues and funk, all of which are called for in this rewardingly diversified set.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 20, 2026
England combined nerve and accuracy to overcome France and a raucous record crowd to clinch their eighth successive Women's Six Nations title in Bordeaux.
From BBC • May 17, 2026
The top candidates in California’s wide-open race for governor took the stage Wednesday night in a Los Angeles debate that began politely but quickly devolved into another raucous clash.
From Los Angeles Times • May 7, 2026
As directed by Bob Fosse on Broadway, the dancing was raucous, and the themes—Pippin’s relationships with multiple women, his struggles with authority and the church—were overtly presented.
From "Drama High" by Michael Sokolove
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.
