ado

[ uh-doo ]

noun

busy activity or bustle; fuss; bother: Much more ado has been made over this allegation than the facts warrant.

Idioms about ado

without further ado, without additional preamble, preliminaries, or other delay: Well, without further ado, let's get down to the details of our master plan.

Origin of ado

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English (north) at do, a phrase equivalent to at “to” (from Old Norse, which used at with the infinitive) + do do¹

synonym study For ado

Ado, to-do, commotion, stir, tumult suggest a great deal of fuss and noise. Ado implies a confused bustle of activity, a considerable emotional upset, and a great deal of talking: Much Ado About Nothing. To-do, now more commonly used, may mean merely excitement and noise and may be pleasant or unpleasant: a great to-do over a movie star. Commotion suggests a noisy confusion and babble: commotion at the scene of an accident. Stir suggests excitement and noise, with a hint of emotional cause: The report was followed by a tremendous stir in the city. Tumult suggests disorder with noise and violence: a tumult as the mob stormed the Bastille.

Other words for ado

1	flurry, to-do; commotion, confusion, excitement; hubbub, noise, turmoil, uproar

See synonyms for ado on Thesaurus.com

Opposites for ado

1	calm, peace, tranquility

See antonyms for ado on Thesaurus.com

Words that may be confused with ado

à deux, adieu, ado

Words Nearby ado

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use ado in a sentence

So without further ado, here’s a smattering of dogs — and birds, and squirrels — filling up while the filling’s good.
These dogs, birds, and squirrels are stuffing their faces with Brood X cicadas | Benji Jones | May 21, 2021 | Vox
Without further ado, here’s what Housewives beginners need to know about each of the different Real Housewives series, presented chronologically first for seasons still on the air, and then for those that left us too soon.
The Ultimate Beginner's Guide to Watching The Real Housewives | Cady Lang | April 9, 2021 | Time
Without further ado, here’s how to get the most out of your broiler.
Don’t Fear the Broiler | Elazar Sontag | February 11, 2021 | Eater
So without further ado, here are the 20 most-commented-upon stories from Ars in 2020, alongside the highest-rated and most-insightful comments, as voted on by our readers.
2020’s 20 most-commented stories | Eric Bangeman | December 25, 2020 | Ars Technica
Without further ado, here is the result for the United States overall.
Can Google searches predict where coronavirus cases will soon emerge? | Philip Bump | October 29, 2020 | Washington Post

Without further ado, here are the craziest—and most sensible—theories of how True Detective will come to a close.
Craziest Theories of How ‘True Detective’ Will End: Killer Marty, the Five Horsemen, and More | Marlow Stern | March 5, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST
So, without further ado, here are the craziest moments in The Wolf of Wall Street.
The 21 Craziest Moments in ‘The Wolf of Wall Street’: Cocaine-Fueled Orgies and More | Marlow Stern | December 17, 2013 | THE DAILY BEAST
Without further ado, the most relatable lines from the Girls season three trailer.
‘Girls’ Season 3 Trailer Debuts. Is It the Most Relatable Yet? | Kevin Fallon | November 22, 2013 | THE DAILY BEAST
So without further ado, here are eight of the best long takes ever made.
‘Gravity’ and Film’s Eight Best Long Takes (VIDEO) | Alec Kubas-Meyer | October 4, 2013 | THE DAILY BEAST
Pictured above is the sculpture titled Hopeful Had Much ado from Pilgrim's Progress.
The Future of Print! | William O’Connor | June 4, 2013 | THE DAILY BEAST
Then he clapped his fiddle under his chin and without more ado struck up "Bobbing Joan."
The Pit Town Coronet, Volume I (of 3) | Charles James Wills
And, without more ado, he caught up a chair and held it before him in readiness to receive the other's onslaught.
St. Martin's Summer | Rafael Sabatini
Mademoiselle Marthe eats elegantly, without any ado or any noise, just like a grown-up lady.
Child Life In Town And Country | Anatole France
If he is not so compassionate, he will lay his finger on the wound without more ado.
The Life & Letters of Peter Ilich Tchaikovsky | Modeste Tchaikovsky
Without more ado they secured a broken shovel and two case-knives and began operations.
Famous Adventures And Prison Escapes of the Civil War | Various

British Dictionary definitions for ado (1 of 2)

ado

/ (əˈduː) /

noun

bustling activity; fuss; bother; delay (esp in the phrases without more ado, with much ado)

Origin of ado

C14: from the phrase at do a to-do, from Old Norse at to (marking the infinitive) + do 1

British Dictionary definitions for ADO (2 of 2)

ADO

/ Australian /

abbreviation for

accumulated day off

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

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