ruckus

noun

ruck·​us
ˈrə-kəs,
 also  ˈrü-,
or
ˈru̇- How to pronounce ruckus (audio)
plural ruckuses
1
: a noisy fight or disturbance : row, commotion
raise/cause/create a ruckus
heard a ruckus down the street
He went outside to see what all the ruckus was about.
The dogs … typically would set off quite a ruckus whenever they heard something in the woods …Larry Livermore
2
: a state or situation in which many people are angry or upset : fuss, uproar
… IHOP recently caused a social media ruckus after announcing it would change its name …Lauren Delgado
… the county's GOP is embroiled in a lively legal ruckus over an attempt to seize control of the party.Charles Burress

Examples of ruckus in a Sentence

the ruckus left one person with a sprained wrist quit creating such a ruckus—I'm trying to sleep!
Recent Examples on the Web
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Then came a group of teenage girls running out of a van for selfies, followed by bikers, who stopped to see what all the ruckus was about. Jireh Deng, Los Angeles Times, 29 Oct. 2024 The dot-com bubble bursting and the financial adjustment of the early- and mid-2000s caused quite a ruckus as well. Allen Buchanan, Orange County Register, 26 Oct. 2024 Last year, despite all the ruckus, the number dipped to a record low of 10 percent. Andrew Cockburn, Harper's Magazine, 25 Aug. 2024 Mediums worked in darkened rooms and shuttered cabinets, where spirits appeared to be keen to convene and to show their presence by making a great ruckus. Jonathon Keats, Forbes, 23 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for ruckus 

Word History

Etymology

probably blend of ruction and rumpus

First Known Use

1885, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of ruckus was in 1885

Dictionary Entries Near ruckus

Cite this Entry

“Ruckus.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ruckus. Accessed 9 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

ruckus

noun
ruck·​us ˈrək-əs How to pronounce ruckus (audio)
ˈrük-,
ˈru̇k-
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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