obstreperous

[ uhb-strep-er-uhs ]

adjective

1. resisting control or restraint in a difficult manner; unruly.

   Synonyms: uncontrolled, refractory

   Antonyms: obedient

2. noisy, clamorous, or boisterous:

   obstreperous children.

   Antonyms: calm

obstreperous

/ əbˈstrɛpərəs /

adjective

1. noisy or rough, esp in resisting restraint or control

Derived Forms

• obˈstreperously, adverb
• obˈstreperousness, noun

Other Words From

• ob·streper·ous·ly adverb
• ob·streper·ous·ness ob·strep·e·ros·i·ty [uh, b-strep-, uh, -, ros, -i-tee], noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of obstreperous¹

First recorded in 1590–1600; from Latin obstreperus “clamorous,” akin to obstrepere “to make a noise at” ( ob- ob- + strepere “to rattle”); -ous

Word History and Origins

Origin of obstreperous¹

C16: from Latin, from obstrepere, from ob- against + strepere to roar

Example Sentences

Yeah, they may have been extreme or obstreperous or this or that, but they were good.

From The Daily Beast

Lots of things got in the way of that, notably the lousy economy, and secondly the obstreperous Republicans.

From The Daily Beast

In time the obstreperous Texicans developed revolutionary ideas.

From The Daily Beast

Even the messiest, most obstreperous books are reduced to a litany of bullet points, or a single bullet point.

From The Daily Beast

He liked to drink, colleagues say, and would occasionally get obstreperous.

From The Daily Beast

Their obstreperous loyalty might seem inconsistent with this unideal character, but it is only seeming.

From Project Gutenberg

Captain Downs kicked at this obstreperous sailor, and at the same time fanned a blow at his head with open palm.

From Project Gutenberg

The chances that he would become obstreperous and provoke a general row or not were about even.

From Project Gutenberg

Mrs. Caukins started up stairs whence came sounds of an obstreperous bootjack.

From Project Gutenberg

A new set of stratagems was vainly tried to quiet my obstreperous inviter; and then mamma, as usual, gave up the point.

From Project Gutenberg