Meaning & use
rambunctious
Last updated
Meaning
adjectivecomparable
Noisy, lively and difficult to control, usually in a cheerful rather than nasty way.
Grammar: Used before a noun or after a linking verb: a rambunctious puppy; the kids were rambunctious.
Patterns
- a rambunctious child
- get rambunctious
The rambunctious twins knocked over the lamp again.
After sitting still all day, the puppy turned rambunctious.
A rambunctious crowd cheered when the team arrived.
Word forms
| comparative | more rambunctious |
|---|---|
| superlative | most rambunctious |
Common combinations
- rambunctious children
- The teacher calmed the rambunctious children.
- rambunctious puppy
- We adopted a rambunctious puppy.
- rambunctious crowd
- A rambunctious crowd filled the square.
- get rambunctious
- The party got rambunctious after midnight.
- rambunctious energy
- His rambunctious energy exhausted the babysitter.
Synonyms and how they differ
- boisterous
- Boisterous is a bit more formal and describes noisy, high spirits, while rambunctious adds a sense of rough, hard-to-control movement.
- unruly
- Unruly stresses refusal to follow rules and can sound disapproving, whereas rambunctious is usually affectionate.
- rowdy
- Rowdy often suggests rude or slightly threatening noise, which rambunctious usually does not.
- energetic
- Energetic is simply positive and lively, with no sense of chaos.
Opposites
Word family
- rambunctiously adverb
- in a noisy, energetic manner
- rambunctiousness noun
- noisy, energetic behavior
- rumbustious adjective
- a British near-synonym meaning boisterous
Commonly confused: rambunctious or rambling?
rambunctious vs rambling
Rambling describes wandering speech or walks, not noisy energy.
Practice
The kindergarten class was so ____ after recess that the teacher needed several minutes to settle them.
Choose one answer.
Rambunctious means noisily full of energy. The other words describe quiet or tired behavior.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “rambunctious”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.