Pronunciation \ub-STREP-uh-rus\
Adjective
Definition
1: marked by unruly or aggressive noisiness:
clamorous
2: stubbornly resistant to control: unruly
Examples
After two months at
sea with dwindling food supplies and declining confidence in the captain, the
ship's crew became obstreperous and began to plot a mutiny.
"It is Rob she calls for when crankily refusing to go
to bed, and when Alan attempts to calm her she grows only more obstreperous."
— Charles Isherwood, The New York Times, 9 Nov. 2015
About
The handy Latin prefix ob-, meaning "in the way,"
"against," or "toward," occurs in many Latin and English
words, often in alternate forms. Obstreperous comes from ob- plus strepere, a
verb meaning "to make a noise," so someone who is obstreperous is
literally making noise to rebel against something, much like a protesting crowd
or an unruly child. The word has been used in English since around the
beginning of the 17th century. Strepere has not played a role in the formation
of any other notable English words, but ob- words abound; these include obese,
obnoxious, occasion, offend, omit, oppress, and oust.
Fill in the blanks to create a synonym of obstreperous: vo _
if _ _ ant.
Webster- Merriam
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