hell-raising

adjective

as in rowdy
being rough or noisy in a high-spirited way would often reminisce with his buddies about their hell-raising adventures as teenagers

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of hell-raising Still, he's still got plenty of hell-raising left in him. — Joey Guerra, Houston Chronicle, 19 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hell-raising
  1. rowdy
  2. rambunctious
  3. boisterous
  4. raucous
  5. rollicking
  6. rumbustious
  7. violent
  8. lively
Adjective
  • To this point, those celebrations have been rowdy but civil, with rival fan bases showing respect to one another in these moments of soccer-loving unity.
    — Peter Sblendorio, New York Daily News, 5 July 2026
  • The 45-second clip features Oasis’ rowdy crowds and hints at rehearsal footage as Noel and Liam Gallagher talk about their reunion years after Oasis’ acrimonious breakup.
    — Daniel Kreps, Rolling Stone, 4 July 2026
Definition of rowdy
Adjective
  • The data center in Cloudthief (MCD, $28), Nathaniel Rich’s rambunctious, thoroughly entertaining heist novel, is in Pryor, Oklahoma, a far cry from the splendor of the fjords.
    — Dan Piepenbring, Harpers Magazine, 30 June 2026
  • Salonen was back this year, a bit less rambunctious than before, secure in his status as one of the major musical figures of our time.
    — Alex Ross, New Yorker, 29 June 2026
Definition of rambunctious
Adjective
  • On July 8, Hancock read the text to a large and boisterous crowd in Philadelphia.
    — Richard Lederer, San Diego Union-Tribune, 4 July 2026
  • My family had a boisterous rescue dog, who was full-grown but often acted like a puppy.
    — Deborah Mower, The Conversation, 2 July 2026
Definition of boisterous
Adjective
  • Because whatever deficiencies this squad might have, it’s backed by a massive, raucous army.
    — Dieter Kurtenbach, Mercury News, 2 July 2026
  • Yesterday, on a raucous Centre Court, Maya Joint formally announced herself.
    — Anna Cafolla, Vogue, 1 July 2026
Definition of raucous
Adjective
  • Murphy then appeared on stage to a rollicking standing ovation and made his way to his place at the dais toward the back of the room.
    — Pete Hammond, Deadline, 19 Apr. 2026
  • Those self-aware lyrics are paired with breezy melody and a gently rollicking rhythm, making this feel like a freewheeling summertime favorite.
    — Jessica Nicholson, Billboard, 24 Mar. 2026
Definition of rollicking
Adjective
  • The movie is both exquisite and rumbustious, stylized and energized.
    — Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 5 May 2022
  • Still, there’s a lot of pleasing vitality to this great American story about how clever brewers took an ancient idea and unlocked an unheard-of range of innovations with a combination of capitalist energy and rumbustious creativity.
    — Kyle Smith, National Review, 18 Apr. 2021
Definition of rumbustious
Adjective
  • Dinah Voyles Pulver, a national correspondent for USA TODAY, writes about violent weather, climate change and other news.
    — Dinah Voyles Pulver, USA Today, 3 July 2026
  • English soccer fans have earned a reputation for violent hooliganism, hurling plastic chairs and brawling their way across the piazzas and boulevards of Europe.
    — Alexander Smith, NBC news, 3 July 2026
Definition of violent
Adjective
  • Vibrant banners will fill the land alongside lively Spanish music.
    — Colson Thayer, PEOPLE, 2 July 2026
  • On East Passyunk Avenue, Supérette is a lively French wine bar, market and bottle shop where rosé and pastis are enjoyed with snacks like duck prosciutto and raclette sandwiches.
    — Regan Stephens, New York Times, 2 July 2026
Definition of lively

Browse Nearby Words

hellos
hell-raising
hells
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Hell-raising.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hell-raising. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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