roar

roar — verb

1. When a wild animal such as a lion or bear produces an extremely deep and powerfu

1.verbintransitiveB1
Definition

When a wild animal such as a lion or bear produces an extremely deep and powerful cry from its throat; this word also describes the same kind of deep noise from thunder, ocean waves, or a large fire.

Example

When a lion roars near the waterhole, the zebras immediately run away.

roar used for wild animal sound

The thunder roared so loudly that little Mira covered her ears.

roar used for thunder / natural force

Common collocations
  • roar in the distance
  • roar across the savannah
  • roar with the wind
Synonyms
  • bellow

    Usually refers to a deep, loud sound made by a bull or a person; less common for thunder or oceans.

  • howl

    Typically a long, high-pitched sound made by wolves or wind; higher in pitch than roar.

  • growl

    A low, threatening sound, usually quieter and less sustained than a roar.

Grammar Patterns

roar (when describing the sound of a wild animal or natural force)

Usage Note

Intransitive only — this sense never takes a direct object. Frequently used with an adverb of direction or location (roar in the distance, roar near, roar across).

Common Mistakes

The lion roared the forest.
The lion roared in the forest.
'roar' in this sense is intransitive and cannot take a direct object.

2. To travel somewhere very fast while making a loud, continuous noise, used about

2.verbintransitiveB1
Definition

To travel somewhere very fast while making a loud, continuous noise, used about vehicles, aircraft, or engines.

Example

Piotr's motorcycle roared down the empty road in the middle of the night.

roar + down [road] for vehicle movement

A small plane roared over the village, heading towards the coast.

roar + over [area] for aircraft movement

Common collocations
  • roar down
  • roar past
  • roar up
  • roar over
  • roar to life
Synonyms
  • zoom

    More informal than roar; suggests speed rather than loudness.

  • race

    Focuses on speed; does not inherently include noise.

  • vroom

    Onomatopoeic, very informal; mimics the sound of an engine.

Grammar Patterns

roar + adverb of direction (past, down, up, over)

Usage Note

Typically followed by a direction word (past, down, up, over, through) or a destination. The object is the vehicle itself — the vehicle roars, not the driver.

Common Mistakes

He roared the car down the street.
The car roared down the street.
the vehicle roars, not the person driving it.

3. To shout something in a very loud, deep voice, usually because you are angry or

3.verbtransitive / intransitiveB1
Definition

To shout something in a very loud, deep voice, usually because you are angry or need to be heard above other noise.

Example

Diya roared at the referee, 'That was not a foul!'

roar at + person + direct speech

The sergeant roared orders at the new soldiers during training.

Common collocations
  • roar at
  • roar with anger
  • roar orders
  • roar a command
Synonyms
  • yell

    More general and less deep in tone than roar; can be high-pitched.

  • bellow

    Very similar to roar in depth and loudness, but more often used for people than animals.

  • shout

    The most neutral term; does not imply a deep voice or anger.

Antonyms
  • whisper

    To speak very quietly, the opposite of shouting.

Grammar Patterns

roar + speech

roar at + person

roar + that-clause

Usage Note

Can be transitive (take a direct object like orders, commands) or intransitive (roar at someone, roar with anger). Used with that-clauses or direct speech.

Common Mistakes

He roars to me every morning.
He roars at me every morning.
'roar at' is the correct prepositional pattern for directing the sound towards someone.

4. When something is extremely funny and you cannot stop yourself from expressing y

4.verbintransitiveB2
Definition

When something is extremely funny and you cannot stop yourself from expressing your laughter in a loud, uncontrolled way.

Example

Wren's joke made the whole table roar with laughter.

collocation: roar with laughter

Adina roared when she saw her brother slip on the wet kitchen floor.

Common collocations
  • roar with laughter
  • roar at a joke
  • roar at a story
Synonyms
  • howl

    Similar intensity of laughter; 'howl with laughter' also common, often suggests a slightly higher pitch.

  • crack up

    Informal phrasal verb meaning to start laughing uncontrollably.

  • guffaw

    A less common, more literary term for a loud, hearty laugh.

Grammar Patterns

roar with laughter

roar at + noun

Usage Note

Only intransitive — not used as 'roar someone' to mean making someone laugh. The most common collocation is 'roar with laughter'. Can also be 'roar at something'.

Common Mistakes

They roared him when he fell.
They roared when he fell.
'roar' for laughing does not take a direct object.
Phrasal verbs

roar out

phrasal verb

To say something very loudly, often a command or a protest.

The general roared out his orders and the soldiers immediately moved into position.

The crowd roared out their disapproval when the referee made the call.

Idioms

roar, romp, sweep, etc. to victory

idiom

To win a competition or contest with little difficulty.

The team roared to victory in the championship final.

Did Sara roar to victory in the chess tournament?

roar — noun

Word family

  • roaring
    adjectiveB2
  • roaring
    nounC1
  • roared
    verbB1
  • roars
    verbB1
  • roars
    nounB1

Synonym discussion

Sense: verb/1

All four verbs describe loud sounds made by animals or people, but they differ in depth, duration, and emotional tone. 'Roar' is the deepest and most powerful — think of a lion or thunder. 'Bellow' is similarly deep but is more often used for human anger (a bellowing sergeant) or a bull. 'Howl' is higher-pitched and sustained — wind howls, wolves howl, and people howl with pain or laughter. 'Growl' is the quietest of the group: a low, threatening sound from the throat that signals a warning. A dog might growl before it bites, but it roars only in cartoons. In everyday speech, a person who 'roars with laughter' sounds warm and unrestrained, whereas someone who 'howls with laughter' sounds almost pained.

bellowhowl ↗growl ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • roar of approval
  • roar of laughter
  • roar with laughter
  • roar of the crowd

Prepositions

Etymology

Old EnglishGermanicEnglish

The word 'roar' comes from Old English 'rārian', meaning to make a loud, deep sound. This word is related to similar words in other Germanic languages, such as Old High German 'rērēn' (to bleat or roar). The original sense — a wild animal's cry — goes back over a thousand years, and later uses for engines, crowds, and laughter all build on that core idea of a powerful, continuous deep sound.