Definition

1. Adjective:

   • Loud, rough, and disorderly: Describes a person, group, or event that is noisy, boisterous, and potentially disruptive to public peace or order.
   • Characterized by noisy and unruly behavior: Often implies a lack of consideration for others in a public or social setting.

2. Noun:

   • A person who behaves in a loud, rough, and disorderly way: Refers to an individual, often in a group, who engages in rowdy behavior.
   • A rough, brutal, or aggressive fellow: An informal and somewhat dated use, suggesting a troublemaker or hooligan.

Usage and Examples

• Adjective:

  • The bar was asked to close early due to the rowdy crowd.
  • After the game, rowdy fans spilled into the streets, celebrating loudly.

• Noun:

  • The police were called to deal with a group of rowdies outside the club.
  • He was known in his youth as a bit of a rowdy.

Advanced Usage and Nuances

• The term often carries a connotation of youthful, alcohol-fueled, or sports-related exuberance that crosses the line into nuisance.
• It can be used descriptively without always implying malicious intent (e.g., ), though context determines the severity.
• "To get rowdy": A common phrase meaning to become loud and boisterous.
  • The concert really got rowdy during the final song.

Variants and Related Words

• Rowdiness (n): The state or quality of being rowdy.
  • The rowdiness of the fans led to several ejections from the stadium.
• Rowdyism (n): Rowdy behavior, especially when habitual or as a social problem.
  • The neighborhood was tired of the late-night rowdyism.

Synonyms

• Adjective: Boisterous, raucous, unruly, disorderly, rambunctious, loud.
• Noun: Hooligan, troublemaker, ruffian, lout (these often imply more aggression than just noise).

Antonyms

• Adjective: Quiet, orderly, peaceful, subdued, tranquil.
• Noun: Gentleman, peacekeeper.

Idioms and Common Phrases

• "Rowdy bunch": A group of loud, unruly people.
  • The team's supporters were a rowdy bunch, but they meant no harm.
• While not a phrasal verb, the verb phrase "to act rowdy" is frequently used.
  • The students were warned not to act rowdy on the field trip.

Adjective

1. disturbing the public peace; loud and rough
   • a raucous party
   • rowdy teenagers

Noun

1. a cruel and brutal fellow