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:
I wanted to know what all the fuss was about.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 12, 2026
"He's very happy, and he just loves a good fuss," Masters added.
From BBC ● Sep. 10, 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
Otherwise, you might be wondering what all the fuss is about when the envelopes are opened.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 9, 2026
Part of me wanted to suggest we leave, but I’d made such a fuss about coming here that I couldn’t bring myself to make another one.
From "The Red Car to Hollywood" by Jennie Liu
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
It fusses over your toast, insisting that the flour it comes from has no more than 75 insect fragments and one rodent hair per 50 grams.
From Seattle Times ● Jul. 2, 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
Ba's foster mum fusses in the background, making lunch and occasionally interjecting to clarify or add some detail to his account of his journey here from Vietnam.
From BBC ● Jan. 20, 2020
Hilda fusses with the collar on my jacket, smoothing and tucking and pressing it.
From "X: A Novel" by Ilyasah Shabazz
Javed fussed over her throughout the trip, taking her shopping and insisting she buy 15 new outfits.
From BBC ● Jun. 1, 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
By Friday morning, her 3-year-old daughter had developed a fever and her 2-year-old fussed as his sister slept in their mother’s arms.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 19, 2024
He fussed and argued and finally went away saying he’d bring back the deed.
From "A Tree Grows in Brooklyn" by Betty Smith
After fussing over the feeder as if it were the Mona Lisa, we agreed on an ideal location.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 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
Hundreds of dactyls swarmed around it, diving in and out and fussing with each other.
From "Dactyl Hill Squad" by Daniel José Older
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
