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)
-
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)
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.
Fuss thinks current data-center deals are too speculative.
From Barron's • Nov. 14, 2025
They formed Fuss & Feathers, a multi-course tasting menu, to explore those questions.
From Salon • Nov. 3, 2023
Fuss over the details and even the mundane becomes, as the Mom in “Winter Letter” keeps insisting, interesting.
From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 4, 2023
The setlist draws heavily on their near perfect 2004 debut album Hot Fuss, which arrived fully formed when they were young.
From BBC • Aug. 27, 2023
“Oh, Fuss, my dear, dear doggie!” he cried, “I didn’t mean to hurt you.”
From From Squire to Squatter A Tale of the Old Land and the New by Stables, Gordon
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.
