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Showing results for rip-roaring. Search instead for rip+roaring.
Synonyms

rip-roaring

American  
[rip-rawr-ing, -rohr-] / ˈrɪpˌrɔr ɪŋ, -ˌroʊr- /

adjective

Informal.

  1. boisterously wild and exciting; riotous.

    Have a rip-roaring good time.
rip-roaring British  

adjective

  1. informal characterized by excitement, intensity, or boisterous behaviour

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of rip-roaring

1825–35, rip 1 + roaring, alteration of rip-roarious, modeled on uproarious

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.

With Springsteen taking the microphone, the audience was treated to an unforgettable version of The Doors’ “Light My Fire,” followed by Steve Earle’s rip-roaring take on “Roadhouse Blues.”

From Salon • Apr. 20, 2026

Fortunately for him, Davis also has rip-roaring memories of triumph at the theatre that this year is staging the World Snooker Championship for a 50th time.

From BBC • Apr. 20, 2026

With his backflips, one-handed cartwheels and quadruple-jumps galore, US figure skater Ilia Malinin's rip-roaring routines have proved a star attraction at the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics.

From Barron's • Feb. 12, 2026

Where to watch: Disney+ Nominated for: Animated feature What we said: “‘Elio’ is a breezy Pixar adventure, the studio’s pivot back to making original, rip-roaring children’s yarns.”

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 22, 2026

Then John Worth had to go and ruin it all by having a rip-roaring nightmare.

From "Worth" by A. LaFaye

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.