fuss
Americannoun
-
an excessive display of anxious attention or activity; needless or useless bustle.
They made a fuss over the new baby.
- Antonyms:
- inactivity
-
an argument or noisy dispute.
They had a fuss about who should wash dishes.
-
a complaint or protest, especially about something relatively unimportant.
verb (used without object)
-
fusses,
present (3rd person singular)
-
fussed,
past participle, past
-
fussing
present participle
-
to make a fuss; make much ado about trifles.
You'll never finish the job if you fuss over details.
-
to complain especially about something relatively unimportant.
verb (used with object)
-
fusses,
present (3rd person singular)
-
fussed,
past participle, past
-
fussing
present participle
noun
-
nervous activity or agitation, esp when disproportionate or unnecessary
-
complaint or objection
he made a fuss over the bill
-
an exhibition of affection or admiration, esp if excessive
they made a great fuss over the new baby
-
a quarrel; dispute
verb
-
(intr) to worry unnecessarily
-
(intr) to be excessively concerned over trifles
-
to show great or excessive concern, affection, etc (for)
-
to quarrel violently
-
(tr) to bother (a person)
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
fusssimple
-
fussessimple
-
have fussedperfect
-
has fussedperfect
-
am fussingprogressive
-
are fussingprogressive
-
is fussingprogressive
-
have been fussingperfect progressive
-
has been fussingperfect progressive
Past
-
fussedsimple
-
had fussedperfect
-
was fussingprogressive
-
were fussingprogressive
-
had been fussingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of fuss
First recorded in 1695–1705; origin uncertain
Explanation
If you are making a fuss, settle down! A fuss is a state of excitement, and it's usually about something not worth worrying or "fussing" about. Most fusses are types of commotion. If someone makes a fuss, they're overexcited and in a tizzy over something, like someone who can't stop asking questions. Another fuss is angrier: you might say "What's the fuss?" if you hear two people yelling at each other. A fuss is also any kind of hubbub or whirlwind of activity, like a huge crowd swarming toward a sale. Parents tend to fuss over their children. Someone who fusses is worrying too much.
Vocabulary lists containing fuss
"The Landlady" by Roald Dahl
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"Rikki-Tikki-Tavi" by Rudyard Kipling
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Prince (1958-2016) Tribute List
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Some may affect a “can’t see what all the fuss is about” attitude — that is their right, as it is mine to simply not believe them.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 16, 2026
I wanted to know what all the fuss was about.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 12, 2026
Kimmel noted that for more than 20 years, he and other late-night hosts interviewed political candidates, including Trump, without any fuss.
From Salon ● Sep. 10, 2026
After coming through his opening match with little fuss, the questions then turned to how Alcaraz would pull up physically two days later.
From BBC ● Sep. 3, 2026
Mama was concerned about charity, about earning what she got by pulling her own weight, not making a fuss, and being kind to others.
From "Ophie's Ghosts" by Justina Ireland
While Lord Wynstowe fusses around measuring chins and noses, Charlie and Alice are concerned with the grosser features of the human body.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 26, 2026
Townley fusses splendidly as the nurturing Jane and is even better as Marian, a cynical editor for the Associated Press.
From Washington Post ● Apr. 5, 2023
KYIV, Ukraine — Down a dusty stairwell, hidden from the shelling that has become the grim background noise of Ukraine’s capital, Ludmila Yashenko fusses with the babies.
From Seattle Times ● Mar. 12, 2022
She fusses about his health and his attitude, remarking to her son that at least he had given up on his crazy earlier plan:
From Salon ● Jul. 24, 2021
Old folks has a sayin’ that if a catbird fusses ’bout nothin’, somethin’ bad is comin’.
From "Sounder" by William H. Armstrong
As Manchester United fans are only too aware, once Cristiano Ronaldo is set on a course, he is not too fussed what the fallout is.
From BBC ● Feb. 2, 2026
He's not alone: according to City Hall, Istanbul has more than 160,000 cats living on its streets who are regularly fed and fussed over by the city's 16 million residents.
From Barron's ● Jan. 27, 2026
A gentle simmer produces something entirely different from a frantic boil; a pan left alone rewards you more than one constantly fussed over.
From Salon ● Dec. 20, 2025
Michael McKean, 77, sat in a makeup chair, eyes closed, as the wig that transforms him into St. Hubbins was being fussed over.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 20, 2025
April always hated to be fussed over, but it was sort of nice to open her eyes now and then and see Caroline just sitting there, quietly reading a book.
From "The Egypt Game" by Zilpha Keatley Snyder
The ominous birds, fussing and pooping on his porch, reminded him of Alfred Hitchcock’s film “The Birds.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 16, 2026
The hardest part for Treichel, whose primary job is as a finance lawyer, was to not add caveats and footnotes to everything, and to eventually stop fussing with the explanations during the editing process.
From MarketWatch ● Mar. 16, 2026
Quality brew, especially when used with their bean grinder, for a fresh cup of joe that hits exactly how you need it without the fussing.
From Salon ● Nov. 20, 2025
I couldn’t breathe, and I couldn’t stop fussing at Jack Williams.
From Slate ● Oct. 6, 2025
“Shayla, stop fussing with me right now. You’re giving me a headache.”
From "A Good Kind of Trouble" by Lisa Moore Ramée
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
