fuss

1 of 2

noun

1
a
: needless bustle or excitement
They got down to business without any fuss.
b
: a show of flattering attention
made a big fuss over his favorite niece
2
a
: a state of agitation especially over a trivial matter
in a fuss and stew all afternoonMolly L. Bar-David
b
: objection, protest
She accepted the new assignment without any fuss.
c
: an often petty controversy or quarrel
the fuss they are raising … over certain words and phrasesB. J. Hendricks

fuss

2 of 2

verb

fussed; fussing; fusses

intransitive verb

1
a
: to create or be in a state of restless activity
especially : to shower flattering attentions
fussing over the grandchildren
b
: to pay close or undue attention to small details
fussed with her hair
2
a
: to become upset : worry
b
: to express annoyance or pique : complain
fusser noun

Examples of fuss in a Sentence

Noun They got down to business without any fuss. What is all the fuss about? Her new novel has caused quite a fuss. I don't want to make a fuss, but this soup is cold. Verb She'll fuss the whole time we're gone. I told him not to fuss. The baby fussed all day. Stop fussing and get to work! He's fussing about his new assignment.
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
At first, Barbara Guggenheim wasn’t going to make a fuss about her wedding: Guggenheim, 77, married her now husband Alan Patricof, 89, in an intimate ceremony at her Park Avenue apartment in Manhattan in December of 2023. Lilah Ramzi, Vogue, 4 Mar. 2024 Your tan will develop on its own over four to eight hours and can be used as is — no fuss, all glow. Alyssa Brascia, Peoplemag, 30 Jan. 2024 Dishes that empower diners to make modifications or at least choose their own toppings are less likely to cause a fuss. Kyle Austin Young, Forbes, 15 Feb. 2024 Buffy Cloud Duvet Cover For those on the hunt for a duvet cover without all the fuss, Buffy's Cloud style will do the trick. Wendy Vazquez, Southern Living, 18 Jan. 2024 Say Hello to Illumination Innovation Light up your space with Brilliant Evolution LED lights – no fuss, no muss. Cristian Esteban, Rolling Stone, 10 Jan. 2024 Spectators corralled in on the sidewalk — some hoping to catch a glimpse of DiCaprio and others wondering what the fuss was all about. Hanh Truong, Sacramento Bee, 6 Feb. 2024 Rafael Perez, Coral Gables Coral Gables’ Rafael Perez (admitted in 1987) used disciplinary revocation to save time and fuss, although his dispute with a client appeared to be resolved. David J. Neal, Miami Herald, 5 Feb. 2024 After the performance, Travis revealed what all this fuss was really for when the broadcast quickly cut to a commercial for his new shoe. Anna Gaca, Pitchfork, 5 Feb. 2024
Verb
But Yeung has a lot of other social statements to broach in his careful, polite way, and so, soon after, Angie is fussing in the kitchen and calls out a question to Pat, who doesn’t answer. Jessica Kiang, Variety, 25 Feb. 2024 The word means to fuss or waste time in Yiddish, though dining at this Jewish deli is always time well spent. Usa Today Network, USA TODAY, 15 Feb. 2024 An old hen, with her little chickens, beat a quick retreat for the coop and she was all fussed up about being caught away from home by the darkness. Bill Bowden, arkansasonline.com, 18 Feb. 2024 Need to put a filling dinner on the table, but don't have a lot of time to fuss? Southern Living Editors, Southern Living, 18 Dec. 2023 Set an Example In social gatherings, plenty of adults still fuss about the colors of bubbles. Brian X. Chen, New York Times, 29 Nov. 2023 Koufax lifted his cap, ran his fingers through his black hair, then pulled the cap back down, fussing at the bill. Houston Mitchell, Los Angeles Times, 10 Oct. 2023 The convenience of having a place to slip your MetroCard or smaller essentials without having to fuss around in the main space? Sophie Dweck, Town & Country, 26 Aug. 2023 At one end is Francesca’s kitchen, and at the other, the house of their eternally fussing neighbors, Charlie (Christopher Bloch) and nosy but reliable Marge (Rayanne Gonzales). Peter Marks, Washington Post, 22 Aug. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'fuss.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun and Verb

origin unknown

First Known Use

Noun

1701, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

1792, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of fuss was in 1701

Dictionary Entries Near fuss

Cite this Entry

“Fuss.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fuss. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

fuss

1 of 2 noun
1
: unnecessary activity or excitement often over something unimportant
2
3
: a great show of interest
made a fuss over the baby

fuss

2 of 2 verb
: to make a fuss
fusser noun

More from Merriam-Webster on fuss

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