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Synonyms

fuss

American  
[fuhs] / fʌs /

noun

  1. an excessive display of anxious attention or activity; needless or useless bustle.

    They made a fuss over the new baby.
    Synonyms:
    commotion, stir, to-do, pother
    Antonyms:
    inactivity

  2. an argument or noisy dispute.

    They had a fuss about who should wash dishes.

  3. a complaint or protest, especially about something relatively unimportant.

verb (used without object)

  1. to make a fuss; make much ado about trifles.

    You'll never finish the job if you fuss over details.

  2. to complain especially about something relatively unimportant.

verb (used with object)

  1. to disturb, especially with trifles; annoy; bother.

    Synonyms:
    pester
fuss British  
/ fʌs /

noun

  1. nervous activity or agitation, esp when disproportionate or unnecessary

  2. complaint or objection

    he made a fuss over the bill

  3. an exhibition of affection or admiration, esp if excessive

    they made a great fuss over the new baby

  4. a quarrel; dispute

"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

verb

  1. (intr) to worry unnecessarily

  2. (intr) to be excessively concerned over trifles

  3. to show great or excessive concern, affection, etc (for)

  4. to quarrel violently

  5. (tr) to bother (a person)

"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
fuss Idioms  

    More idioms and phrases containing fuss

Other Word Forms

  • fusser noun
  • unfussed adjective
  • unfussing adjective

Etymology

Origin of fuss

First recorded in 1695–1705; origin uncertain

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.

And at first glance, the return of one on loan from a library in the West Midlands would not seem something to cause a lot of fuss.

From BBC

However, Ted Buchan, 68, said he didn't know what the fuss was all about.

From BBC

How many conservatives click on a Tucker show simply to see what the fuss is about?

From The Wall Street Journal

It means they can travel from Boston to Bali, or Amsterdam to Antananarivo with a single stop and a minimum of fuss.

From BBC

I never could understand all the fuss over clothes.

From Literature

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.