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
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
"Rikki-Tikki-Tavi" by Rudyard Kipling
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Prince (1958-2016) Tribute List
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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
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
Or you can head straight for the nearest library to see for yourself what all the fuss is about.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 26, 2026
Normally, Treasury auctions are routine financial events that play out in the background without much of a fuss.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 18, 2026
I hear his mom fuss at him about playing video games all day, and I’m pretty sure she’ll have us washing windows in a second.
From "Isaiah Dunn Is My Hero" by Kelly J. Baptist
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
Nat fusses with the straps of her suit.
From "Al Capone Does My Shirts" by Gennifer Choldenko
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
She's not fussed about kissing babies or some of the other relatable day-to-day things politicians in an election year feel the need to do.
From BBC ● Feb. 29, 2024
While her sisters fussed over which of the dolls to choose, Sandi grabbed the one dressed exactly like the dancers in the floor show.
From "How the García Girls Lost Their Accents" by Julia Alvarez
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
When I’d get to fussing about Aunt Loma, she’d say, “Your Aunt Loma means well, son. I know she’s hateful sometimes, but she’s got a good heart.”
From "Cold Sassy Tree" by Olive Ann Burns
Random Word
Spin the wheel and learn a new word!
Get a wordDefinitions 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.
