uproarious

American  

[uhp-rawr-ee-uhs, -rohr-] / ʌpˈrɔr i əs, -ˈroʊr- /

adjective

1. characterized by or in a state of uproar; tumultuous.

   Synonyms:

   turbulent, riotous, stormy

2. making an uproar; confused and noisy, as an assembly, person, etc.

3. very funny, as a person or situation.

4. very loud, as sounds or utterances.

5. expressed by or producing uproar.

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uproarious British  

/ ʌpˈrɔːrɪəs /

adjective

1. causing or characterized by an uproar; tumultuous

2. extremely funny; hilarious

3. (of laughter) loud and boisterous

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Other Word Forms

• uproariously adverb
• uproariousness noun

Etymology

Origin of uproarious

First recorded in 1810–20; uproar + -ious

Explanation

Uproarious situations are very loud, a little out of control, and often hilarious. You might encounter an uproarious crowd at a soccer match, or even in your school cafeteria. Your neighbors might like to throw uproarious dinner parties filled with screams of glee and pounding music, disturbing your sleep. Notice the word roar in there, because whether it’s an uproarious gathering or just one uproarious joke, it’s always an event of stunning and dramatic volume, like a lion’s roar.

Example Sentences

What sparked a change last year was the one-night ban of TikTok, when uproarious Americans protested the shutdown by swearing they’d learn Mandarin and signing up in droves for Chinese social media app RedNote instead.

From Slate • Mar. 13, 2026

Following the global success of "Derry Girls", the uproarious comedy about Northern Irish teenagers navigating life during the Troubles, writer Lisa McGee is back with a new show.

From Barron's • Feb. 12, 2026

Kenyon’s 1958 history of the Stuart dynasty, which began with James and lasted 111 years, cited James’s “vulgarity, obscenity and uproarious pedantry.”

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 5, 2025

Written by Jocelyn Bioh, the uproarious comedy, which opened on Broadway in 2023, explores a day in the life of a West African salon in Harlem.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 7, 2025

So he opened the door—and stared beyond the picket gate at Willis Hurd and his friends, who all broke into sudden and uproarious laughter—all except Willis, who was smiling his chicken-killing smile.

From "Lizzie Bright and the Buckminster Boy" by Gary D. Schmidt

Related Words

• amusing
• comical
• humorous