Merriam-Webster Logo
SINCE 1828
Menu
×

An Encyclopædia Britannica Company

hoo–ha

play
noun \ˈhü-ˌhä\
variants: or less commonly

hoo–hah

Definition of hoo–ha

  1. :  uproar

See hoo–ha defined for English-language learners

Read the Latest from M-W

winning-words-from-the-national-spelling-bee-logo
Winning Words from Scripps Spelling Bee Quiz
alt-59270ec8a7c80
A New Dictionary for a New President
decimate-video
Is it wrong to use 'decimate' to mean 'destroy'?
alt-5929a3df1de57
Trending: Brzezinski: 'The Sine Qua Non of a Stable World Order'

Origin and Etymology of hoo–ha

probably from Yiddish hu-ha uproar, exclamation of surprise


First Known Use: 1931

hoo–ha Synonyms

Synonyms
ado, alarums and excursions, ballyhoo, blather, bluster, bobbery, bother, bustle, clatter, clutter [chiefly dialect], coil, corroboree [Australian], disturbance, do [chiefly dialect], foofaraw, fun, furor, furore, fuss, helter-skelter, hoo-ha (also hoo-hah), hoopla, hubble-bubble, hubbub, hullabaloo, hurly, hurly-burly, hurricane, hurry, hurry-scurry (or hurry-skurry), kerfuffle [chiefly British], moil, pandemonium, pother, row, ruckus, ruction, rumpus, shindy, splore [Scottish], squall, stew, stir, storm, to-do, tumult, turmoil, uproar, welter, whirl, williwaw, zoo
Related Words
cacophony, clamor, din, howl, hue and cry, noise, outcry, racket, roar; disorder, unrest, upheaval; eruption, flare-up, flurry, flutter, outbreak, outburst; brawl, fracas, fray, hassle, melee (also mêlée), scuffle; dither, fever, fret, lather, tizzy
Near Antonyms
calm, hush, peace, quiet, quietude, rest, stillness, tranquillity (or tranquility); order, orderliness

HOO–HA Defined for English Language Learners

hoo–ha

play
noun \ˈhü-ˌhä\

Definition of hoo–ha for English Language Learners

  • : great excitement or concern about something

Learn More about hoo–ha

  1. See words that rhyme with hoo–ha

Seen and Heard

What made you want to look up hoo–ha? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).

show hide

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

WORD OF THE DAY

skosh

play

a small amount

Get Word of the Day daily email!

TRENDING NOW

  1. sine qua non 'Something that is considered essential'

  2. suborn "to induce secretly to do an unlawful thing"

  3. nutjob 'a mentally unbalanced person'

  4. collusion 'Secret cooperation for an illegal or dishonest purpose'

  5. counsel Is it 'council' or 'counsel'?

SEE ALL

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Words at Play

alt-59270ec8a7c80
A New Dictionary for a New President

JFK and Webster's Third

alt-5926e94cc0e45
'Climate' Change

No denying this word's history

alt-5925b73b3a62e
'Author' is a Verb

Beyond the mere act of writing

alt-592708149cf54
Don't Catch 'Flack' for Using 'Flak'

How a word for antiaircraft guns came to refer to PR pro

Ask the Editors

decimate-video
Is it wrong to use 'decimate' to mean 'destroy'?

Language changes

serial-comma
The Serial Comma

Why don't they call it the Merriam-Webster comma?

video-irregardless-grammar-peeve-blend-of-the-synonyms-irrespective-and-regardless
Irregardless

It is in fact a real word (but that doesn't mean you should use it).

video-moose-goose-weird-plurals
Weird Plurals

One goose, two geese. One moose, two... moose. What's up with that?

Word Games

winning-words-from-the-national-spelling-bee-logo
Winning Words from Scripps Spelling Bee Quiz

Can you outdo past winners of the Spelling Bee?

Take the quiz
peter-bruegel-tower-of-babel-painting
Where in the World? A Quiz

Do you know what languages these words come from?

Take the quiz
Name That Thing
Name That Thing

Test your visual vocabulary with our 10-question challenge!

Take the quiz
Word Winder's CrossWinder
Word Winder's CrossWinder

A game of winding words.

Play the game