Thesaurus
fuss
Synonyms and Antonyms of fuss
1 a feeling or declaration of disapproval or dissent she made a fuss over not being picked for the lead role in the play Synonyms challenge, complaint, demur, demurral, demurrer, difficulty, exception, expostulation, objection, kick, protest, question, remonstrance, stinkRelated Words compunction, doubt, misgiving, qualm, scruple; misunderstanding; cavil, niggle [chiefly British], quibble; argument, conflict, debate, dispute, dissent, hassle, quarrel, squabble, static; censure, criticism; defiance, disobedience, rebellion; distrust, distrustfulness, dubiety, dubitation [archaic], incertitude, indetermination, misdoubt, mistrust, mistrustfulness, reservation, skepticism, suspicion, uncertainty; qualmishness, unease, uneasiness; reluctance, unwillingnessNear Antonyms willingness; approval, sanction; acceptance, acquiescence, agreement, assent; compliance, obedience
2 a state of nervous or irritated concern the new parents are always in a fuss over whether the baby is dressed warmly enough Synonyms dither, fluster, fret, huff, lather, pother, stew, sweat, swelter, swivet, tizzy, twitterRelated Words bother, dudgeon, pique; alarm (also alarum), hand-wringing, panic; ado, agitation, delirium, distraction, furor, hysteria, uproar; nervous breakdown
3 a state of noisy, confused activity the company managed the move into the new building without any undue fuss Synonyms ado, alarums and excursions, ballyhoo, blather, bluster, bobbery, bother, bustle, clatter, clutter [chiefly dialect], coil, corroboree [Australian], disturbance, do [chiefly dialect], foofaraw, fun, furor, furore, commotion, helter-skelter, hoo-ha (also hoo-hah), hoopla, hubble-bubble, hubbub, hullabaloo, hurly, hurly-burly, hurricane, hurry, hurry-scurry (or hurry-skurry), kerfuffle [chiefly British], moil, pandemonium, pother, row, ruckus, ruction, rumpus, shindy, splore [Scottish], squall, stew, stir, storm, to-do, tumult, turmoil, uproar, welter, whirl, williwaw, zooRelated Words cacophony, clamor, din, howl, hue and cry, noise, outcry, racket, roar; disorder, unrest, upheaval; eruption, flare-up, flurry, flutter, outbreak, outburst; brawl, fracas, fray, hassle, melee (also mêlée), scuffle; dither, fever, fret, lather, tizzyNear Antonyms calm, hush, peace, quiet, quietude, rest, stillness, tranquillity (or tranquility); order, orderliness
4 an expression of dissatisfaction, pain, or resentment none of the employees dared to make a fuss over having to come to work in the huge snowstorm Synonyms beef, bitch, bleat, carp, complaint, grievance, gripe, grouch, grouse, grumble, holler, kvetch, lament, miserere, moan, murmur, plaint, squawk, wail, whimper, whine, whinge [British], yammerRelated Words challenge, demur, expostulation, kick, niggle [chiefly British], objection, protest, quibble, remonstrance, stinkNear Antonyms commendation, compliment, plaudit; acclaim, applause, praise; approval, endorsement (also indorsement), sanction
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fuss
Synonyms and Antonyms of fuss
1 to express dissatisfaction, pain, or resentment usually tiresomely the eldest daughter is always fussing that she gets stuck with all the chores around the house Synonyms beef, bellyache, bitch, bleat, carp, caterwaul, crab, croak, complain, gripe, grizzle, grouch, grouse, growl, grumble, grump, holler, inveigh, keen, kick, kvetch, maunder [chiefly British], moan, murmur, mutter, nag, repine, scream, squawk, squeal, wail, whimper, whine, whinge [British], yammer, yawp (or yaup), yowlRelated Words object (to), protest, quarrel (with); cavil, quibble; fret, stew, worry; blubber, cry, sob; bemoan, bewail, deplore, lamentNear Antonyms accept, bear, countenance, endure, take, tolerate; applaud, cheer, commendAntonyms crow, delight, rejoice
2 to make an exaggerated display of affection or enthusiasm fans fussing over their favorite rock guitarist Synonyms drool, effuse, enthuse, gush, rave, rhapsodize, slobberRelated Words dote (on), fawn; emote
3 to make often peevish criticisms or objections about matters that are minor, unimportant, or irrelevant the picky eater who fusses over the arrangement of food on his plate or who won't eat the rice if it touches the salad Synonyms carp, cavil, quibble, niggle, nitpickRelated Words criticize, fault; beef, bellyache, bitch, complain, crab, croak, gripe, grouse, growl, grumble, kick, kvetch, moan, squawk, squeal, wail, whimper, whine, yammer, yawp (or yaup), yowl; murmur, mutterNear Antonyms applaud, commend, compliment, praise, recommend; approve, back, champion, endorse (also indorse), support
4 to use flattery or the doing of favors in order to win approval especially from a superior given to fussing over her father whenever she wants a favor or some ready cash Synonyms apple-polish, bootlick, fawn, kowtow, suck (up), toady, truckleRelated Words drool, gush, slaver, slobber; endear, ingratiate; court, woo; adulate, idolize, worship; blandish, cajole, coax, flatter, overpraise, soft-soap; cower, cringe, grovel; abase, debase, demean; defer, submit, yieldNear Antonyms despise, disdain, scorn; gibe (or jibe), jeer, scoff; brave, challenge, defy
5 to experience concern or anxiety there is no use in fussing over things that you can't control Synonyms bother, fear, fret, worry, stew, stress, sweat, troubleRelated Words agonize; long, pine, yearn; chafe; despairNear Antonyms accept; abide, bear, endure, stick out, stomach, sustain, take, tolerate
6 to trouble the mind of; to make uneasy you shouldn't let a little thing like that fuss you Synonyms agitate, ail, alarm (also alarum), bother, concern, derail, discomfort, discompose, dismay, disquiet, distemper, distract, distress, exercise, flurry, frazzle, freak (out), disturb, hagride, perturb, undo, unhinge, unsettle, upset, weird out, worryRelated Words aggravate, anger, annoy, bug, chafe, chivy (or chivvy), exasperate, fret, gall, get, grate, harass, harry, irk, irritate, nettle, peeve, pester, pique, put off, put out, rile, vex; bedevil, haunt, plague; abash, confound, confuse, discomfit, disconcert, discountenance, embarrass, faze, fluster, jar, mortify, nonplus, rattle, shake up; daunt, demoralize, discourage, dishearten, dispirit, unnerveNear Antonyms allay, alleviate, assuage; appease, conciliate, mollify, pacify, placate, propitiateAntonyms calm, compose, quiet, settle, soothe, tranquilize (also tranquillize)
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