Meaning & use
louder
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“louder” is a form of “loud”. See that entry for the full set of meanings.
Meanings
adjectivecomparable
Making more noise than something else; greater in volume.
Grammar: Used to compare two things; often followed by 'than': This music is louder than that one.
Patterns
- louder than something
- get louder
- turn something louder
The music at the party was much louder than I expected.
Can you make the TV louder? I can't hear the dialogue.
As the train approached, the noise grew louder and louder.
adverbcomparableinformal
In a way that produces more sound; more loudly.
Grammar: Informal use as an adverb; in formal writing, 'more loudly' is preferred.
Patterns
- speak louder
- play louder
Could you speak louder? The microphone isn't working.
He turned the volume up and the music played louder.
Common combinations
- louder than
- The thunder was louder than any sound I've ever heard.
- a bit louder
- Can you turn it up a bit louder?
- louder and louder
- The crowd's cheering became louder and louder.
- much louder
- The new speakers are much louder than the old ones.
Synonyms and how they differ
- noisier
- Noisier suggests an unpleasant or chaotic level of sound, while louder is neutral and just means greater volume.
- more intense
- More intense can describe sound but also other experiences; louder is specific to volume.
Opposites
Word family
Commonly confused: louder or loudly?
louder vs loudly
Loudly is an adverb meaning 'in a loud way' (e.g., She spoke loudly). Louder is the comparative adjective or adverb (e.g., She spoke louder than him).
Practice
Which sentence uses 'louder' correctly?
Choose one answer.
Option B correctly uses 'louder' as a comparative adjective followed by 'than'. Option An is wrong because 'very' cannot modify a comparative. Option C is wrong because 'louder' is not a noun. Option D is contradictory and misuses the comparative.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “louder”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.