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Meaning & use

riotous

adjective·Advanced

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UK/ˈraɪətəs/
US/ˈraɪətəs/

Meanings

  1. adjectivebefore a noun

    Involving a crowd that behaves violently and out of control, usually in a public place.

    Grammar: Usually comes before a noun: a riotous mob. It is rarely used after a verb in this sense.

    Patterns

    • a riotous crowd
    • riotous behavior

    Police were called after riotous crowds smashed shop windows downtown.

    The riotous protest spilled into several side streets before dawn.

    The mayor condemned the riotous behavior that followed the match.

  2. adjectivecomparableinformal

    Extremely lively, noisy and full of fun, with little restraint.

    Grammar: Can come before a noun or after a verb: a riotous party, the evening was riotous.

    Patterns

    • a riotous celebration
    • riotous laughter

    The wedding reception turned into a riotous night of dancing.

    Her riotous sense of humor kept the whole class laughing.

    The garden was a riotous mix of red, orange and purple flowers.

Word forms

comparativemore riotous
superlativemost riotous

Common combinations

riotous assembly
He was charged with taking part in a riotous assembly.
riotous laughter
Riotous laughter filled the kitchen as he told the story.
riotous living
The heir spent his youth in riotous living and ran up huge debts.
riotous colors
The market stalls blazed with riotous colors.
a riotous party
Neighbors complained about the riotous party next door.

Synonyms and how they differ

unruly
Unruly describes people who refuse to follow rules and is milder than riotous, which suggests wild disorder on a larger scale.
rowdy
Rowdy means noisy and rough but usually not truly dangerous, so it is less serious than riotous in the violent sense.
boisterous
Boisterous is almost always cheerful and energetic, so it matches only the fun sense of riotous.
uproarious
Uproarious focuses on loud laughter or noise, while riotous can also mean violent or colorful.

Opposites

calmorderlysubdued

Word family

riot noun
a violent public disturbance by a crowd
riot verb
to take part in violent disorder
rioter noun
a person who takes part in a riot
riotously adverb
in a wild, disorderly or very lively way

Commonly confused: riotous or rioting?

riotous vs rioting

Rioting is the act of taking part in a riot, while riotous describes the people, behavior or occasion that is wildly disorderly.

Practice

After the team won the cup, the town held a ______ street party that went on until sunrise.

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