roaring
Americannoun
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the act of a person, animal, or thing that roars.
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a loud, deep cry or sound or a series of such sounds.
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Veterinary Pathology. a disease of horses, caused by respiratory obstruction or vocal cord paralysis, and characterized by loud or rough breathing sounds.
adjective
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making or causing a roar, as an animal or thunder.
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brisk or highly successful, as trade.
He did a roaring business selling watches to tourists.
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characterized by noisy, disorderly behavior; boisterous; riotous.
roaring revelry.
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complete; utter; out-and-out.
a roaring idiot; a roaring success.
adverb
adjective
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informal very brisk and profitable (esp in the phrase a roaring trade )
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the period of the Australian goldrushes
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derogatory (intensifier)
a roaring communist
adverb
noun
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a loud prolonged cry
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a debilitating breathing defect of horses characterized by rasping sounds with each breath: caused by inflammation of the respiratory tract or obstruction of the larynx Compare whistling
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of roaring
before 1000; Middle English roryng (noun, adj.), Old English rarung (noun). See roar, -ing 1, -ing 2
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.
The Colts built a 26-0 lead in the first half of that game, before the Bills came roaring back with the second-largest comeback in an NFL regular-season game.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 27, 2026
When a flood came roaring down the Himalayas into Nepal last year, engineer Santosh Adhikari narrowly escaped by scrambling to higher ground.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 9, 2026
Ben Collins: After Detroit were hindered by a defensive injury crisis last season, Dan Campbell is rewarded as he gets the Lions roaring again.
From BBC ● Sep. 8, 2026
Next to the damaged station, dozens of onlookers stared at the flames roaring from the vehicle amid shards of glass and rubble, AFP journalists observed.
From Barron's ● Sep. 1, 2026
Papa’s voice had risen above the roaring waves, above the screams of the people all around them.
From "I Survived the Great Molasses Flood, 1919" by Lauren Tarshis
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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.