ripsnorter means a violently energetic or noisily outspoken person; someone using slambang methods. It carries an Arena rating of 1440, earned across 3 head-to-head judged battles.
Among words judged in Lexicurio's Arena, ripsnorter ranks #5,565 of 17,151 for The Improbable, #13,581 of 17,124 for Most Sublime Words.
Why “ripsnorter” is a great word
A person or thing of exceptional vigor, force, or intensity, often characterized by noisy or boisterous energy. Formed within English by compounding the verb 'rip' (to tear violently) and the noun 'snorter' (something or someone remarkable or forceful), first attested in American English around 1840. Unlike a 'humdinger,' which is merely remarkable, or a 'firebrand,' which agitates for a cause, a ripsnorter is raw, untamed kinetic spectacle. It is a thunderstorm that splits the oak, a barroom brawl that clears the furniture, a locomotive cresting a hill with whistle screaming—a glorious, temporary rebellion against the creeping quiet of the world.
noun
- a violently energetic or noisily outspoken person; someone using slambang methodse.g.“"That venerable old ripsnorter defended the right of the clergy to drive fast horses" -- Phil Stong”
- something extreme; humdingere.g.“"Yesterday's performance was a ripsnorter for gaiety, vigor, and general run-around" -- Virgil Thomson”
Definitions & examples from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 3.0).
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