obstreperous

/ɒbˈstɹɛp.əɹ.əs/

Group 30Difficulty 2/3

Definition

(adjective)
Noisy and difficult to control
GRE

Example in Context

The obstreperous crowd drowned out the speaker's attempts to restore order, forcing the organizers to adjourn the meeting temporarily.

Synonyms

unrulyrowdyboisterous

Etymology

Noisy in a disruptive manner, making it hard to control.

  • ob- (Latin) — against
  • streperus (Latin) — noisy

Memory Aid

🔊Sounds like “ob-strep-perous

Imagine a group of rowdy kids yelling 'OB-STREP-PERIOUS!' while running wild in a library!

Visual Association

🎉A chaotic birthday party where balloons pop and children scream, making it impossible to hear anything.

Semantic Clusters

Synonym Groups

Frequently Asked Questions

What does “obstreperous” mean on the GRE?

obstreperous (adjective) means “Noisy and difficult to control”. The obstreperous crowd drowned out the speaker's attempts to restore order, forcing the organizers to adjourn the meeting temporarily.

How to remember “obstreperous” for the GRE?

Mnemonic: “obstreperous” sounds like “ob-strep-perous”. Imagine a group of rowdy kids yelling 'OB-STREP-PERIOUS!' while running wild in a library!

What are synonyms for “obstreperous”?

Common synonyms: unruly, rowdy, boisterous.