boisterous

Boisterous is an adjective that describes people, behavior, or environments characterized by high-spirited, noisy, and exuberant energy. The term often carries a sense of playful exuberance, but it can also imply disturbance or lack of restraint, especially when activity disrupts others. In reference to people, a boisterous child may run and shout with enthusiasm; to describe a crowd, a boisterous celebration may feature loud laughter, music, and animated movement; a boisterous sea or wind describes rough, vigorous motion.

In usage, boisterous is generally informal and suited to descriptive writing about lively social settings, sports events, or youthful camaraderie. It is less appropriate for formal or clinical contexts, where more precise terms such as rambunctious, rowdy, exuberant, or energetic might be preferred. It can have a positive connotation (cheerful and energetic) or a neutral/negative one (lively but disruptive), depending on context and tone.

Synonyms include rambunctious, rowdy, lively, exuberant, noisy; antonyms include quiet, restrained, somber, hushed. The word often collocates with nouns such as crowd, party, laughter, game, or performance, as in a boisterous celebration or a boisterous crowd.