hurly-burly

[hur-lee-bur-lee, -bur-]

noun

plural

hurly-burlies 

1. noisy disorder and confusion; commotion; uproar; tumult.

adjective

1. full of commotion; tumultuous.

hurly-burly

/ ˈhɜːlɪˈbɜːlɪ /

noun

1. confusion or commotion

adjective

1. turbulent

Word History and Origins

Origin of hurly-burly¹

1520–30; alteration of hurling ( and ) burling, rhyming phrase based on hurling in its (now obsolete) sense of tumult, uproar

Word History and Origins

Origin of hurly-burly¹

C16: from earlier hurling and burling, rhyming phrase based on hurling in obsolete sense of uproar

Example Sentences

Yet by 2021’s “Solar Power,” Lorde was singing about abandoning the hurly-burly of pop stardom in the always-on social-media era.

From Los Angeles Times

In addition, the FBI said it was investigating a possible shooting that had taken place amid the hurly-burly of protests outside the gates of Glass House, one of the largest legal cannabis operations in the state.

From Los Angeles Times

But mostly for my parents, who had worked so hard for so many years to create a refuge from the hurly-burly of the outside world.

From Los Angeles Times

Mustard admires the fact that, rather than engage in the hurly-burly of social media, Lamar will disappear from public view for long stretches of time.

From Los Angeles Times

The idea was that it would be a space of refuge, the embodiment of freedom and creativity, just blocks from the hurly-burly of undergraduate housing, restaurants, bars and bookstores that form the heart of Berkeley’s southside.

From Los Angeles Times