brouhaha

noun

brou·​ha·​ha ˈbrü-ˌhä-ˌhä How to pronounce brouhaha (audio)
ˌbrü-ˌhä-ˈhä,
brü-ˈhä-ˌhä
: hubbub, uproar
A brouhaha erupted over her statements.

Did you know?

The English language borrowed brouhaha directly from French in the late 18th century, but its origins beyond that are uncertain—not quite the subject of noisy brouhaha but perhaps more modest debate. What’s less arguable is that brouhaha is fun to say, as are many of its synonyms, including hubbub, williwaw, hullabaloo, bobbery, and kerfuffle. And many of these, also like brouhaha, tend to suggest a certain judgment that the reason for all the foofaraw is a bit silly, or at least not worth getting all worked up about. A dad joke, for example, might raise some brouhaha, even though it’s really no reason for an uproar to brew. Haha!

Examples of brouhaha in a Sentence

A brouhaha erupted over her statements about the president. There's been a lot of brouhaha about her statements.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
This season, Clark was already knocked down in brouhahas with opponents. Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 30 June 2025 Such brouhaha almost feels unnecessary, however, as the movie has never really left the zeitgeist. David Fear, Rolling Stone, 20 June 2025 The two got into their own brouhaha under the basket. Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 18 June 2025 Chicago White Sox baserunner A.J. Pierzynski’s shoulder block into Chicago Cubs catcher Michael Barrett spawned a second-inning, bench-clearing brouhaha at home plate. Kori Rumore, Chicago Tribune, 20 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for brouhaha

Word History

Etymology

French

First Known Use

1890, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of brouhaha was in 1890

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Brouhaha.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/brouhaha. Accessed 4 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

brouhaha

noun
brou·​ha·​ha
ˈbrü-ˌhä-ˌhä

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