hoopla

noun

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 child. (This usage can be found in English, too, in such works as Booth Tarkington's The Magnificent Ambersons and James Joyce's Ulysses.) When the word was borrowed into American English, however, it was to refer to a kind of bustling commotion, and later, as a term for sensationalist hype. In the early 20th century, another hoopla was in use as well. Playing on the syllable hoop, that word gave its name to a ring-toss game played at carnivals.

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 It’s been over a decade since Valve first promised Half-Life 2: Episode 3 Despite the 25th Anniversary hoopla, Valve still has yet to officially acknowledge the 17th anniversary of the announcement of Half-Life 2: Episode 3, which occurred earlier this year. Kyle Orland, Ars Technica, 17 Nov. 2023 Workplace and career experts stress the importance of being open and frank with your boss about your upcoming nuptials, for the sake of still having a solid workplace once the premarital hoopla has come and gone. Vogue, 9 Nov. 2023 All of the hoopla, the hype, the expectations that were placed on him at such a young age. Broderick Turner, Los Angeles Times, 28 Oct. 2023 The hoopla leading up to a taping of her show fills the opening moments of the premiere episode, with eager audience members assembling outside the TV studio for a glimpse of the star. Yvonne Villarreal, Los Angeles Times, 13 Oct. 2023 There’s far less hoopla surrounding Atlanta’s quarterback, though the Falcons have equally high hopes for Desmond Ridder in his first full year as the starter. Mark Heim | Mheim@al.com, al, 10 Sep. 2023 But, after all the political hoopla between the two sides, there comes a time for good Americans to put partisan divisions aside — in service to our country. Clarence Page, Chicago Tribune, 24 July 2023 The Detroit auto show kicked off this week with a burst of hoopla and glam, including a Darius Rucker concert sponsored by Ford Motor and an indoor test track built by Jeep that features a hill with a 40-degree slope. Neal E. Boudette, New York Times, 14 Sep. 2023 The Bears were feeling great coming off their 2018 NFC North title and amid all of the Bears100 hoopla. Colleen Kane, Chicago Tribune, 12 Sep. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'hoopla.' 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

French houp-là, interjection

First Known Use

1877, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of hoopla was in 1877

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Dictionary Entries Near hoopla

Cite this Entry

“Hoopla.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hoopla. Accessed 30 Nov. 2023.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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