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
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.
The ruckus drew a gaggle of onlookers, many of whom filmed the interaction, which went viral afterward. Zachary Schermele, USA Today, 11 Oct. 2025 The players began to dogpile on top of each other with some punches being thrown in the ruckus. Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 8 Oct. 2025 Lou began raking the trees behind me, causing quite a ruckus. Derek Horner, Outdoor Life, 8 Oct. 2025 The scene doesn’t go as planned, leading its irate French director Caroline Lescot (Nathalie Richard) to cause a slapstick ruckus, shot at a distance by Köhler’s camera. Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 28 Sep. 2025 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

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Ruckus.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ruckus. Accessed 17 Oct. 2025.

Kids Definition

ruckus

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