boisterous
Noisy, lively and full of rough energy.
boisterous in a sentence
- The boisterous puppies knocked over two chairs and a plant before breakfast.
- The boisterous crowd at the funfair laughed, sang and jostled around every stall.
Try an 11+ style question
Verbal reasoning papers often ask about a word like this.
Which word is closest in meaning to boisterous?
- Agentle
- Bcalm
- Cquiet
- Dnoisy
Show the answer
D: noisy. The other three mean the opposite of boisterous.
Which word is most nearly opposite in meaning to boisterous?
- Anoisy
- Browdy
- Ccalm
- Dwild
Show the answer
C: calm. The other three mean nearly the same as boisterous.
Words that mean something similar
noisy, rowdy, wild
Words that mean the opposite
calm, quiet, gentle
Careful: boisterous is not rowdy
Boisterous is usually high spirits. Rowdy is when the noise has turned into trouble. Read why children mix them up.
More words about behaviour & manners
- brazen: Bold and cheeky, without any shame.
- brusque: Using few words in a way that seems rude and unfriendly.
- cajole: To gently persuade someone by being nice or making promises.
- caution: The care you take to avoid danger or mistakes.
- cautious: Careful to avoid danger or mistakes.
- chaos: A state of complete confusion, where nothing is in order.
- chivalrous: Polite, kind and brave, especially towards people who need help.
- clemency: The mercy a ruler or judge shows by giving a gentler punishment.
More words to explore
Sitting the 11+ in Kent, Medway or Buckinghamshire?
Plain-English guides to each test, from the councils’ own pages: Kent Test · Medway Test · Bucks Secondary Transfer Test