# roar

/ˈɹɔɹ/ (US) · /ɹˈɔː/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/roar
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. a loud deep sound

noun · CEFR B1

a long, loud, and deep sound made by a person, animal, or thing.

For teachers: a prolonged, resonant, and low-frequency sound produced by a living being or a physical process.

- The crowd let out a loud roar when the player scored the winning goal.
- The sudden roar of the crowd echoed through the stadium, drowning out the commentator's voice during the final seconds of the match.

### 2. animal cry

noun · CEFR B1

the deep, powerful sound made by a large animal like a lion or tiger.

For teachers: the characteristic deep vocalisation of certain large felines or other animals.

- We could hear the lion's roar from the other side of the safari park.
- The lion's roar serves both as a territorial warning and a method of communication with other members of the pride over long distances.

### 3. to make a loud sound

verb · CEFR B1

to make a very loud, deep noise, often because of anger, pain, or power.

For teachers: to emit a loud, deep, and prolonged sound; often used intransitively to describe engines, wind, or vocal expression.

- The engines began to roar as the plane prepared for takeoff.
- The wind roared through the narrow canyon, making it nearly impossible for the hikers to hear one another's warnings.

### 4. to laugh loudly

verb · CEFR B2

to laugh very loudly and deeply.

For teachers: to laugh in a boisterous and unrestrained manner; often used in the phrase 'roar with laughter'.

- The audience roared with laughter at the comedian's funny story.
- The entire room roared with laughter when the speaker made an unexpected and self-deprecating joke about his own technical difficulties.

### 5. to cry or weep

verb · CEFR C2 · British English · Dialect · Informal

to cry or sob very loudly.

For teachers: to weep or wail loudly and uncontrollably.

- The little boy started roaring when he dropped his ice cream on the pavement.
- She found the toddler roaring in the hallway because he had misplaced his favourite toy just before bedtime.

Usage: Commonly used in Northern England and Scotland to mean crying rather than shouting.

## Examples

- The lion's roar echoed through the valley.
- The crowd let out a massive roar when the home team finally scored in the last minute.
- The constant roar of the waterfall made conversation nearly impossible, forcing the hikers to communicate through simple hand gestures as they approached the base.

---

From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.