kerfuffle

noun

ker·fuf·fle kər-ˈfə-fəl How to pronounce kerfuffle (audio)

plural kerfuffles

informal

: a disturbance or commotion typically caused by a dispute or conflict

In all the kerfuffle, nobody seemed to have noticed Harry, which suited him perfectly.

J. K. Rowling

It's not the only school with dress code issues; almost every week there's a local story about some kerfuffle over what kids wear to school.

Belinda Luscombe

Did you know?

The Evolution of Kerfuffle

Fuffle was first used in Scottish English, as early as the 16th century, as a verb meaning "to dishevel." The addition of the prefix car- (possibly derived from a Scottish Gaelic word meaning "wrong" or "awkward") didn't change the meaning of the word considerably. In the 19th century carfuffle, with its variant curfuffle, became a noun, and in the 20th century it was embraced by a broader population of English speakers and standardized to kerfuffle. There is some dispute among language historians over how the altered spelling came to be favored. One theory holds that it might have been influenced by imitative words like kerplunk, where the syllable ker- is simply added for emphasis.

Synonyms

ado
alarums and excursions
ballyhoo
blather
bluster
bobbery
bother
bustle
clatter
clutter [chiefly dialect]
coil
commotion
corroboree [Australian]
disturbance
do [chiefly dialect]
foofaraw
fun
furor
furore
fuss
helter-skelter
hoo-ha
hoo-hah
hoopla
hubble-bubble
hubbub
hullabaloo
hurly
hurly-burly
hurricane
hurry
hurry-scurry
hurry-skurry
moil
pandemonium
pother
row
ruckus
ruction
rumpus
shindy
splore [Scottish]
squall
stew
stir
storm
to-do
tumult
turmoil
uproar
welter
whirl
williwaw
zoo

See all Synonyms & Antonyms

Example Sentences

predictably, the royal scandal caused quite a kerfuffle on Fleet Street

Recent Examples on the Web Since then, O’Donnell seems to have involved herself in one kerfuffle after another as a kind of notorious loose cannon, on both television and social media.

Rachel Syme, The New Yorker, 7 Sep. 2022 Recently, there has also been a separate kerfuffle about lengthy headnotes—the introductions that precede most recipes on a blog or in a cookbook—as some people just want to skip the story and get cooking.

Wired, 1 Aug. 2022 In a separate kerfuffle, two activists are suing Caruso’s company for the right to protest the candidate at the Grove.

Julia Wick, Los Angeles Times, 20 Aug. 2022 The movie is a beastly thing, and proud of it—a gaily sadistic kerfuffle, from which all traces of tenderness have been expunged.

Anthony Lane, The New Yorker, 5 Aug. 2022 There had been a minor standoff involving Odeyingbo on Tuesday, but Pittman Jr. and McLeod threw several hard punches in the open before teammates quickly converged to break up the kerfuffle.

The Indianapolis Star, 3 Aug. 2022 The disconnect caused a minor kerfuffle for NASA and contractor Advanced Space, which remained optimistic that the issue represented a minor glitch.

Jacob Carpenter, Fortune, 7 July 2022 The kerfuffle over the article has also piqued the interest of the school’s language experts.

Anne Quito, Quartz, 24 June 2022 Following a diplomatic kerfuffle, Queen Victoria is said to have taken a pen and crossed Bolivia off her map of South America, insisting the country could therefore not exist.

Jen Rose Smith, Washington Post, 19 May 2022 See More

单词	kerfuffles
释义	kerfuffle noun ker·fuf·fle kər-ˈfə-fəl plural kerfuffles informal : a disturbance or commotion typically caused by a dispute or conflict In all the kerfuffle, nobody seemed to have noticed Harry, which suited him perfectly. J. K. Rowling It's not the only school with dress code issues; almost every week there's a local story about some kerfuffle over what kids wear to school. Belinda Luscombe Did you know? The Evolution of Kerfuffle Fuffle was first used in Scottish English, as early as the 16th century, as a verb meaning "to dishevel." The addition of the prefix car- (possibly derived from a Scottish Gaelic word meaning "wrong" or "awkward") didn't change the meaning of the word considerably. In the 19th century carfuffle, with its variant curfuffle, became a noun, and in the 20th century it was embraced by a broader population of English speakers and standardized to kerfuffle. There is some dispute among language historians over how the altered spelling came to be favored. One theory holds that it might have been influenced by imitative words like kerplunk, where the syllable ker- is simply added for emphasis. Synonyms ado alarums and excursions ballyhoo blather bluster bobbery bother bustle clatter clutter [chiefly dialect] coil commotion corroboree [Australian] disturbance do [chiefly dialect] foofaraw fun furor furore fuss helter-skelter hoo-ha hoo-hah hoopla hubble-bubble hubbub hullabaloo hurly hurly-burly hurricane hurry hurry-scurry hurry-skurry moil pandemonium pother row ruckus ruction rumpus shindy splore [Scottish] squall stew stir storm to-do tumult turmoil uproar welter whirl williwaw zoo See all Synonyms & Antonyms Example Sentences predictably, the royal scandal caused quite a kerfuffle on Fleet Street Recent Examples on the Web Since then, O’Donnell seems to have involved herself in one kerfuffle after another as a kind of notorious loose cannon, on both television and social media. Rachel Syme, The New Yorker, 7 Sep. 2022 Recently, there has also been a separate kerfuffle about lengthy headnotes—the introductions that precede most recipes on a blog or in a cookbook—as some people just want to skip the story and get cooking. Wired, 1 Aug. 2022 In a separate kerfuffle, two activists are suing Caruso’s company for the right to protest the candidate at the Grove. Julia Wick, Los Angeles Times, 20 Aug. 2022 The movie is a beastly thing, and proud of it—a gaily sadistic kerfuffle, from which all traces of tenderness have been expunged. Anthony Lane, The New Yorker, 5 Aug. 2022 There had been a minor standoff involving Odeyingbo on Tuesday, but Pittman Jr. and McLeod threw several hard punches in the open before teammates quickly converged to break up the kerfuffle. The Indianapolis Star, 3 Aug. 2022 The disconnect caused a minor kerfuffle for NASA and contractor Advanced Space, which remained optimistic that the issue represented a minor glitch. Jacob Carpenter, Fortune, 7 July 2022 The kerfuffle over the article has also piqued the interest of the school’s language experts. Anne Quito, Quartz, 24 June 2022 Following a diplomatic kerfuffle, Queen Victoria is said to have taken a pen and crossed Bolivia off her map of South America, insisting the country could therefore not exist. Jen Rose Smith, Washington Post, 19 May 2022 See More Word History Etymology alteration of carfuffle, from Scots car- (probably from Scottish Gaelic cearr wrong, awkward) + fuffle to become disheveled First Known Use 1908, in the meaning defined above kerfuffles noun plural of kerfuffle, chiefly British as in commotions a state of noisy, confused activity predictably, the royal scandal caused quite a kerfuffle on Fleet Street Synonyms & Similar Words Relevance commotions disturbances stirs turmoils fusses noises storms uproars fun hurricanes ruckuses clatters furors furores rackets ructions rows bustles zoos clutters tumults ados hubbubs bluster ballyhoos hoo-hahs hooplas moils blathers roars squalls hullabaloos flurries alarums and excursions bothers upheavals coils pandemoniums outcries rumpuses splores whirls welters corroborees stews shindies foofaraws brawls williwaws hurly-burlies howls hoo-has pothers scuffles shindys hurlies eruptions cacophonies hurry-skurries bobberies hurry-scurries to-dos disorders helter-skelters outbreaks hubble-bubbles outbursts dos clamors do's fracas fracases tizzies dins frays flutters melees fevers hassles flare-ups hue and cries frets dithers mêlées lathers Antonyms & Near Antonyms tranquilities tranquillities hushes quiets rests calms peaces quietudes orders See More
随便看	dribblets dribbling dribbly driblet driblet cone driblets dribs dribs and drabs dridder driddle dride drie driech dried dried alum dried beef dried milk dried off dried out dried up dried-fruit beetle dried-up driegh drier drier-down

kerfuffle

noun

Did you know?

Synonyms

Example Sentences

Word History

noun