furor

noun

fu·​ror ˈfyu̇r-ˌȯr 

-ər

1

: an angry or maniacal fit : rage

… furor of the god of war.

—Henry Fuseli

2

: fury sense 4

3

: a fashionable craze : vogue

… her singing … made her the furor of Paris overnight.

—Janet Flanner

4

a

: furious or hectic activity

The fatal shot … caused great excitement, confusion, and furor among the raiders.

—Joe S. Sando

b

: an outburst of public excitement or indignation : uproar

Amid the furor, the senator continues to deny the allegations.

Synonyms of furor

• commotion
• stir
• disturbance
• fuss
• turmoil
• hurry

Examples of furor in a Sentence

The book caused a furor across the country.

Amid a public furor, the senator continues to deny the allegations.

Recent Examples on the Web

That year, furor over the gender imbalance in the Nobels reached a fever pitch because of the feeling that Rosalind Lee, the collaborator and spouse of Victor Ambros, should have also been honored. — O. Rose Broderick, STAT, 8 Oct. 2026

What begins as a folky rendition turns strange with electronic hiss and distorted guitar, even if the bassist is trying to match Dylan’s furor with her instrumentation. — David Harris, SPIN, 6 Oct. 2026

The trial of Lindsay Clancy, a Massachusetts woman who killed her three children, has set off a furor of public scrutiny – of both the troubled mother and the medical establishment her defenders say failed to provide adequate mental healthcare. — Cameron Pugh, Christian Science Monitor, 25 Sep. 2026

The hearing provided a glimpse into California’s thinking in its decision to settle the case when its leverage appeared the highest, as well as the intense political furor that has spun off from it. — Winston Cho, HollywoodReporter, 24 Sep. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle French & Latin; Middle French, from Latin, from furere to rage

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for furor

• furore

Kids Definition

furor

noun

fu·​ror ˈfyu̇r-ˌȯr 

-ˌōr

1

: fury sense 1, rage

2

: an outburst of excitement : uproar