as in commotion
a state of noisy, confused activity
the foofaraw that accompanies any big wedding
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of foofaraw
For many Americans who don’t celebrate Christmas, sitting out the foofaraw while the whole country conducts Christmas consumption is an annual dose of alienation.
—
Amanda Mull, The Atlantic, 23 Nov. 2020
No foofaraw: Of course a cleric—in Chih’s case, one who belongs to a holy order tasked with traveling the land and collecting stories—wouldn’t concern themself with gender.
—Wired Staff, Wired, 29 Sep. 2020
What was Anne Boleyn up to while this whole Charles Brandon foofaraw was happening in England?
—Anne Thériault, Longreads, 25 May 2018
Amanda Mull, The Atlantic, 23 Nov. 2020
No foofaraw: Of course a cleric—in Chih’s case, one who belongs to a holy order tasked with traveling the land and collecting stories—wouldn’t concern themself with gender.
—Wired Staff, Wired, 29 Sep. 2020
What was Anne Boleyn up to while this whole Charles Brandon foofaraw was happening in England?
—Anne Thériault, Longreads, 25 May 2018
Recent Examples of Synonyms for foofaraw
Noun
-
No shove, no commotion, no clue.—
Rosie Marder,
Travel + Leisure,
13 Mar. 2026
-
Multiple people were escorted out of the room amid the commotion.—
Paula Wethington,
CBS News,
12 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Yannick Nézét-Séguin let the prelude speak with minimal fuss, then unspooled the rest of the score with total control, pulling the thread taut, relaxing it, and increasing the tension again, until by the end the orchestra bloomed into rapture.—
Justin Davidson,
Vulture,
11 Mar. 2026
-
Salmon is an increasingly popular fish that’s easy to prepare at home with minimal fuss.—
Stacey Lastoe,
Southern Living,
10 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
At Usangu Expedition Camp in Tanzania, for example, guides have replaced bright spotlights with thermal cameras so guests can observe critters with minimal disturbance.—
Stephanie Vermillion,
Outside,
16 Mar. 2026
-
Even the current first-line oral treatment, fexinidazole, must be taken for 10 days and comes with severe side effects such as nausea, vomiting and heart-rhythm disturbances.—
Fran Kritz,
NPR,
16 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Actor Timothee Chalamet’s recent statements about ballet and opera have caused a stir online, and some Atlanta arts institutions are responding to the controversy.—
Olivia Wakim,
AJC.com,
10 Mar. 2026
-
This is a great thing for stir-frying.—
Nina Moskowitz,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
10 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Pezeshkian's message, seemingly recorded in a hurry, underlined the limited powers exercised by the theocracy's leaders over the paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, which controls the hundreds of ballistic missiles targeting Israel and other countries.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
8 Mar. 2026
-
Plus, the one-pull Quicklace design makes these easy to pull on in a hurry.—
Alexandra Pereira,
Travel + Leisure,
8 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The album reflects all the turmoil and subsequent tranquility that Blake found within the music.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
13 Mar. 2026
-
At that time, Iran was in turmoil several weeks after the death in police custody of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini, who had been detained for allegedly violating a strict Islamic dress code.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
12 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Foofaraw.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/foofaraw. Accessed 17 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
