vociferous

Word relationships

• clamorous: Clamorous emphasizes the chaotic, noisy quality of the sound, while vociferous emphasizes the forceful expression of an opinion.
• vehement: Vehement refers to intense passion or anger, which may or may not be expressed loudly, whereas vociferous always involves loud vocalization.

• reticent: Reticent means quiet, reserved, and unwilling to speak or express opinions.
• taciturn: Taciturn describes a person who is habitually silent and talks very little.

Commonly confused with

• voracious: Voracious means having an extremely eager approach to an activity, or a huge appetite for food, whereas vociferous relates to voice.

Word family

• vociferously (adverb): In a loud, forceful, and demanding manner.
• vociferousness (noun): The quality of being loud and forceful in expressing opinions.

Collocations

• vociferous critic
• vociferous opponent
• vociferous support
• vociferous demands

Example sentences

• "He was a vociferous critic of the government's economic policies, writing weekly articles of protest." Describing a passionate critic of a new law.
• "The vociferous crowd gathered outside the courthouse, demanding justice for the victim." Describing a loud crowd demanding action.

Memory hook

Vociferous sounds like 'voice-for-us'. A vociferous person acts as a loud voice for us. A loud voice for us.

When not to use

Do not use to describe a physical sound itself (e.g., 'a vociferous noise' is less common than 'a vociferous critic'). It is best applied to people, demands, or protests.

Fun facts

• In parliamentary systems, the 'vociferous' nature of debates is often highly structured, with members allowed to shout 'Hear, hear!' to show loud agreement.

Related words

vociferate, clamor, roar

Explore more words

vocal, outspoken, boisterous, Pertinacious, fervent, altercation

Also appears in

• Linguistics → Latin & Greek Roots: Voc/Vok (Calling)