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Synonyms

rowdy

American  
[rou-dee] / ˈraʊ di /

noun

PLURAL

rowdies

  1. a rough, disorderly person.

adjective

rowdier, rowdiest

  1. rough and disorderly.

    rowdy behavior at school.

  2. Slang.  great; very enjoyable, often with boisterous fun.

    a rowdy time at the arcade with my best friends.
    Synonyms:
    obstreperous , unruly , boisterous
rowdy British  
/ ˈraʊdɪ /

adjective

  1. tending to create noisy disturbances; rough, loud, or disorderly

    a rowdy gang of football supporters
"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

noun

  1. a person who behaves in a rough disorderly fashion

"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

Other Word Forms

  • rowdily adverb
  • rowdiness noun
  • unrowdy adjective

Etymology

Origin of rowdy

An Americanism dating back to 1810–20; perhaps from row 3

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.

From our experience, the improved buds can block the sound of rowdy restaurants, rumbling buses—and attention-seeking spouses and children.

From The Wall Street Journal

But there was far less focus on the even rowdier world of “dating” shows aimed at young men.

From Salon

A rowdy group insulted foreign guests at the museum ahead of the opening - forcing them to be hurried away under police escort.

From BBC

The Lakers, who had credited their connection and chemistry for carrying them through long stints without their stars, suddenly fell silent when faced with a large deficit in front of a rowdy crowd.

From Los Angeles Times

Amélie’s rowdy approach becomes more nuanced when she is confronted with a loved one’s death, as well as her own mortality in the aftermath of two accidents.

From Los Angeles Times

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.