to-do

American  

[tuh-doo] / təˈdu /

noun

Informal.

plural

to-dos

1. bustle; fuss.

   They made a great to-do over the dinner.

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to-do British  

/ təˈduː /

noun

1. a commotion, fuss, or quarrel

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Related Words

See ado.

Etymology

Origin of to-do

before 900; Middle English, Old English; noun use of infinitive phrase; to, do ¹, ado

Example Sentences

With six landings in total, it felt like the Moon had been well and truly ticked off the space to-do list.

From BBC • Mar. 29, 2026

The government’s national resilience campaign, launched by Lai in 2024, is an evolving project with a long to-do list.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 19, 2026

Even if they can’t babysit your son, they might be able to grab groceries for you or run other errands, and take some tasks off your to-do list.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 9, 2026

German businesses have given Merz a to-do list on his trip.

From Barron's • Feb. 24, 2026

This thought process is not exactly a helpful distraction, so I even give number 22, “Contemplate the afterlife,” on my to-do list a try, and read some of Life, Death, and Immortality.

From "Five Feet Apart" by Rachael Lippincott