roar
[rawr, rohr]
- to utter a loud, deep cry or howl, as in excitement, distress, or anger.
- to laugh loudly or boisterously: to roar at a joke.
- to make a loud sound or din, as thunder, cannon, waves, or wind.
- to function or move with a loud, deep sound, as a vehicle: The automobile roared away.
- to make a loud noise in breathing, as a horse.
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- to utter or express in a roar: to roar denials.
- to bring, put, make, etc., by roaring: to roar oneself hoarse.
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- a loud, deep cry or howl, as of an animal or a person: the roar of a lion.
- a loud, confused, constant noise or sound; din; clamor: the roar of the surf; the roar of lively conversation from the crowded party.
- a loud outburst: a roar of laughter; a roar of approval from the audience.
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Origin of roar
before 900; Middle English roren (v.), Old English rārian; cognate with Old High German rēren to bellow
Synonyms
See more synonyms for roar on Thesaurus.com1. bawl, yell. 3. resound, boom, thunder, peal.
Synonym study
1. See cry.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
Examples from the Web for roar
Contemporary Examples
It will just take time for those little murmurs to become a roar.
I was sleeping late after a long weekend of work, when my girlfriend heard the roar of its engines approaching.
I thought about Al, pushed onto the hood of the car at the airport, the roar of planes taking off and landing in the background.
But no matter, we are allergic and getting more allergic, hear us roar (and sniffle and whine and hack).
At least when an all-too-real attack came on Wednesday morning, there was only the flashing of blades, not the roar of gunfire.
Historical Examples
This was responded to by a roar of satisfaction from the crowd below.
Harriet, The Moses of Her PeopleSarah H. Bradford
The sound in her ear had grown to a roar, as of many mill-wheels.
MalboneThomas Wentworth Higginson
Not from the street, for all beside was still; even the roar of London was hushed!
Weighed and WantingGeorge MacDonald
Rain fell in torrents; the crashing thunder was like the roar of artillery.
The Roof of FranceMatilda Betham-Edwards
I am sick in my soul of narrow apartments and wheels and the rush and roar of the city.
Her Father's DaughterGene Stratton-Porter
roar
- (of lions and other animals) to utter characteristic loud growling cries
- (also tr) (of people) to utter (something) with a loud deep cry, as in anger or triumph
- to laugh in a loud hearty unrestrained manner
- (of horses) to breathe with laboured rasping soundsSee roaring (def. 6)
- (of the wind, waves, etc) to blow or break loudly and violently, as during a storm
- (of a fire) to burn fiercely with a roaring sound
- (of a machine, gun, etc) to operate or move with a loud harsh noise
- (tr) to bring (oneself) into a certain condition by roaringto roar oneself hoarse
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- a loud deep cry, uttered by a person or crowd, esp in anger or triumph
- a prolonged loud cry of certain animals, esp lions
- any similar noise made by a fire, the wind, waves, artillery, an engine, etc
- a loud unrestrained burst of laughter
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See also roar up
Word Origin
Old English rārian; related to Old High German rērēn, Middle Dutch reren
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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Word Origin and History for roar
v.
Old English rarian "roar, wail, lament, bellow, cry," probably of imitative origin (cf. Middle Dutch reeren, German röhren "to roar;" Sanskrit ragati "barks;" Lithuanian reju "to scold;" Old Church Slavonic revo "I roar;" Latin raucus "hoarse"). Related: Roared; roaring.
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n.
late 14c., from roar (v.) and Old English gerar.
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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper