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obstreperous

[ uhb-strep-er-uhs ]
/ əbˈstrɛp ər əs /
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See synonyms for: obstreperous / obstreperously / obstreperousness on Thesaurus.com
adjective
resisting control or restraint in a difficult manner; unruly.
noisy, clamorous, or boisterous: obstreperous children.
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Origin of obstreperous

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

OTHER WORDS FROM obstreperous

ob·strep·er·ous·ly, adverbob·strep·er·ous·ness, ob·strep·e·ros·i·ty [uhb-strep-uh-ros-i-tee], /əbˌstrɛp əˈrɒs ɪ ti/, noun

Words nearby obstreperous

obstetrician, obstetrics, obstinacy, obstinate, obstipation, obstreperous, obstruct, obstruction, obstructionist, obstructive, obstruent
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Words related to obstreperous

blusterous, boisterous, booming, clamorous, disorderly, loud, out of hand, piercing, rambunctious, riotous, rowdy, screaming, strepitous, unmanageable, unruly, uproarious, vociferous, wild

How to use obstreperous in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for obstreperous

obstreperous
/ (əbˈstrɛpərəs) /
adjective
noisy or rough, esp in resisting restraint or control

Derived forms of obstreperous

obstreperously, adverbobstreperousness, noun

Word Origin for obstreperous

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