hoopla

noun

hoop·​la ˈhü-ˌplä  ˈhu̇- 

plural hooplas

1

chiefly US, informal + often disapproving : excited or agitated commotion or activity : bustle

… make sure that children who have birthdays around the holidays don't get their birthday celebration lost in the holiday hoopla.

—Samara Kalk Derby

Seville is a place that offers many artists who call it home a chance to work quietly, away from the hoopla of Madrid.

—Deborah Gimelson

The reality star who each year makes a big hoopla as she turns one year older …

—Rebecca Cukier

also : agitated, excited, or angry discussion : fuss

… despite all the hoopla about susceptibility of automobile companies to … hacking, this is yet another … exploit that (would have) required hands-on intervention to succeed.

—David Booth

2

chiefly US, informal + often disapproving : extravagant promotion or publicity : ballyhoo

Watch out for hoopla surrounding the fourth Batman movie, which hits theaters this summer.

—Zillions

The November arrival of the nouveau on these shores … was accompanied by the normal amount of hoopla and hype intended to whip up consumer interest in the young wine.

—Terry Robards

also : an event or occasion featuring hoopla

Music fans have become incredibly savvy about the big live hooplas and announcements …

—Jim Carroll

"San Diego [Comic Con] is a big hoopla," [Alan] Pamoleras said …

—Jessica Dolcourt

Did you know?

In French, the interjection houp-là is used roughly the same way as English’s upsy-daisy or whoops-a-daisy, as one might say when picking up a toddler who has fallen down on their bottom to assure them that their tumble is not a big deal. When the word was borrowed into English, however, it referred to a kind of excited or agitated commotion, synonymous with other h-words including hoo-ha, hubbub, and hullabaloo. Hoopla later gained a sense referring to hype, especially of the kind marketing execs cook up for the release of a new product. Both senses can carry with them a whiff of disapproval. If you’re calling something hoopla—whether it’s the bustle of activity around a holiday or the promotional buzz around a new movie—chances are you want to convey to others that the cause of the fuss may not be such a big deal.

Synonyms

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

Examples of hoopla in a Sentence

Many people have grown tired of all the hoopla surrounding the opening of the new theater.

for all of the hoopla, very little news emerged from the governor's press conference this afternoon

Recent Examples on the Web

Growing up in Texas, spring’s arrival was marked by blooming tulips at the Dallas Arboretum, the sonic hoopla of the South By Southwest music festival, and a steady cadence of crawfish boils. —Tiney Ricciardi, Denver Post, 19 May 2025

Naturally, the Chiefs have navigated a quieter offseason this year, absent the hoopla that shadows a championship. —Sam McDowell, Kansas City Star, 28 May 2025

To top off the hoopla, Prime Video is following Larson around for a feature-length documentary, set to debut in 2026. —Joseph Wolkin, Forbes.com, 21 May 2025

There was a lot of hoopla around Fred Vinson’s hiring last summer. —Hunter Patterson, New York Times, 20 May 2025

Word History

Etymology

French houp-là, interjection

First Known Use

1877, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for hoopla

• aa
• aha
• bashaw
• bradshaw
• byelaw
• bylaw
• chainsaw
• cheraw
• coleslaw
• crenshaw
• dada
• esau

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Kids Definition

hoopla

noun

hoop·​la

ˈhü-ˌplä,

ˈhu̇-

informal

1

: bustle

also : fuss

—often used disapprovingly

2

: extravagant claims made for publicity

—often used disapprovingly