uproarious

/ʌpˈrɔːriəs/
extremely noisy or loud

The crowd erupted into uproarious laughter during the comedy show.

The audience laughed very loudly and energetically.


formal

extremely noisy or loud, often in a chaotic or excited way

The uproarious cheers filled the stadium after the winning goal.

The stadium was filled with very loud and excited cheering.

The meeting turned uproarious when opposing views clashed.

The meeting became very noisy and chaotic due to conflicting opinions.

Often describes laughter, applause, or general noise levels in situations of high excitement or chaos.

informal

very funny or hilarious

The comedian's uproarious jokes had everyone in stitches.

The comedian's extremely funny jokes made everyone laugh uncontrollably.

Used to describe something that causes uncontrollable laughter.

Collocations

uproarious laughtervery loud and chaotic laughteruproarious applausevery loud and enthusiastic clappinguproarious debatea noisy and chaotic discussion

Pro Tip

Avoid overusing

While 'uproarious' is vivid, it can sound exaggerated if used too frequently. Reserve it for truly chaotic or hilarious moments.

Gold Rule

Context matters

Use 'uproarious' for noise or laughter that is loud and chaotic, not for controlled or pleasant sounds.

Word Origin

From 'uproar' (mid-18th century, meaning loud disturbance) + '-ous' (adjective suffix). 'Uproar' itself comes from 'up' + 'roar', emphasizing a loud noise rising upward.

Usage Notes

Commonly used to describe situations where noise or laughter is overwhelming or chaotic. Avoid using it to describe pleasant, controlled sounds like classical music.

Word Breakdown

up
intensifying prefix indicating upward direction or intensity
prefix
+
roar
a loud, deep sound
root
+
-ous
adjective-forming suffix meaning 'full of'
suffix
English Dictionary