kerfuffle

noun

ker·​fuf·​fle kər-ˈfə-fəl How to pronounce kerfuffle (audio)
plural kerfuffles
informal
: a disturbance or commotion typically caused by a dispute or conflict
In all the kerfuffle, nobody seemed to have noticed Harry, which suited him perfectly.J. K. Rowling
It's not the only school with dress code issues; almost every week there's a local story about some kerfuffle over what kids wear to school.Belinda Luscombe

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The Evolution of Kerfuffle

Fuffle is an old Scottish verb that means “to muss” or “to throw into disarray”—in other words, to (literally) ruffle someone’s (figurative) feathers. The addition of car-, possibly from a Scottish Gaelic word meaning “wrong” or “awkward,” didn’t change its meaning much. In the 19th century carfuffle, with its variant curfuffle, became a noun, which in the 20th century was embraced by a broader population of English speakers and standardized to kerfuffle, referring to a more figurative feather-ruffling. There is some kerfuffle among language historians over how the altered spelling came to be favored. One theory holds that it might have been influenced by onomatopoeic words like kerplunk that imitate the sound of a falling object hitting a surface.

Examples of kerfuffle in a Sentence

predictably, the royal scandal caused quite a kerfuffle on Fleet Street
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Raleigh was at the center of a pitch-tipping kerfuffle that led to benches clearing against the Toronto Blue Jays in April. Brendan Kuty, New York Times, 11 July 2025 That bubbled up during last month’s kerfuffle at Kauffman Stadium. Kansas City Star, 7 July 2025 In the end, the TikTok kerfuffle served as a timely, albeit accidental, reminder. Ana Gutierrez, Austin American Statesman, 2 July 2025 One recent kerfuffle, however, may take Malle out of the running: Less than weeks ago, Wintour drew criticism when 36-year-old Mark Guiducci was announced as the new editor of Vanity Fair, replacing Radhika Jones, who exited in April. Laurie Brookins, HollywoodReporter, 27 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for kerfuffle

Word History

Etymology

alteration of carfuffle, from Scots car- (probably from Scottish Gaelic cearr wrong, awkward) + fuffle to become disheveled

First Known Use

1908, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of kerfuffle was in 1908

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Cite this Entry

“Kerfuffle.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/kerfuffle. Accessed 21 Jul. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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