Definition

Loud and difficult to control, often behaving in a noisy or unruly way.

Example

The obstreperous children made it hard for the teacher to maintain order in the classroom.

Conversation

Did you hear that obstreperous dog next door last night?

Yes! It wouldn’t stop barking and it was so loud.

I wonder why they haven't trained it better; it's always so obstreperous.

Right? It's like they don't even notice the noise!

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Obstreperous is formed from "ob-" (meaning against) and "strepere" (meaning to make a noise or clamor). The word describes someone who is noisy or difficult to control, often resisting authority.

Memory Tip

Think of someone making a lot of noise ('strepere') in a way that goes 'against' ('ob-') what is expected — that's why obstreperous means being unruly or noisy.

Visually Confused Words