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hurly-burly

noun

ˌhər-lē-ˈbər-lē How to pronounce hurly-burly (audio)
Definition of hurly-burlynext
as in commotion
a state of noisy, confused activity lost sight of his children in all the hurly-burly of the fair

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 hurly-burly According to the listing, the estate was custom built for the princess, with horse corrals, large stretches of usable land, and enough seclusion to feel removed from the hurly-burly of Los Angeles. — Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 4 Aug. 2026 But mostly for my parents, who had worked so hard for so many years to create a refuge from the hurly-burly of the outside world. — James Rainey, Los Angeles Times, 12 Jan. 2025 Mustard admires the fact that, rather than engage in the hurly-burly of social media, Lamar will disappear from public view for long stretches of time. — Tribune News Service, Boston Herald, 22 Aug. 2024 The image’s low contrast and lack of sharpness suggest that it was snapped from the hurly-burly of the piazza. — Paul Elie, The New Yorker, 14 Nov. 2023 In the hurly-burly of a modern economy, people are constantly being hurt by economic changes beyond their control. — Alan S. Blinder, Foreign Affairs, 11 Dec. 2018
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hurly-burly
  1. commotion
  2. disturbance
  3. hurry
  4. turmoil
  5. stir
  6. fuss
Noun
  • All of that pregame commotion set the stage for what came next.
    — Trey Wallace OutKick, FOXNews.com, 4 Sep. 2026
  • The Canadian singer caused a commotion with her ensemble, showing off a head-to-toe Alaïa ensemble from the upcoming Archetypes spring 2027 collection.
    — Karla Rodriguez, Footwear News, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of commotion
Noun
  • The person upstairs came down, confronted the man involved in the disturbance and shot him at least once, according to the release.
    — Harriet Ramos, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 16 Sep. 2026
  • The ecological consequences of losing what remains Some coastal old-growth stands on Vancouver Island have not experienced a major disturbance since the end of the last ice age some 12,000 years ago.
    — Annika Hammerschlag, Los Angeles Times, 16 Sep. 2026
Definition of disturbance
Noun
  • For the day, the Steelers had four sacks, four quarterback hurries, three additional tackles for loss and four passes batted down by defensive linemen, and four of Atlanta’s offensive linemen were called for holding at least once.
    — Josh Kendall, New York Times, 13 Sep. 2026
  • Armondo Blount had Miami’s only sack, and PFF credited UM with only seven quarterback hurries (three by Blount, and one apiece by Omar Thornton, Chase Smith, Lightfoot and Justin Scott).
    — Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 5 Sep. 2026
Definition of hurry
Noun
  • And even though the book is rife with grief, loss and inner turmoil, there are plenty of laughs in store too, especially for anyone who’s felt like a fish out of water themselves.
    — Lizz Schumer, PEOPLE, 8 Sep. 2026
  • Amid the turmoil, Ortiz lost custody of her daughter in 2024.
    — Alli Rosenbloom, CNN Money, 8 Sep. 2026
Definition of turmoil
Noun
  • Sweeney caused a stir last year with her American Eagle advertisement focused on jeans.
    — Mason Leib, ABC News, 16 Sep. 2026
  • Yet the notice has also raised a stir in the mathematics community for another reason.
    — Karina Tsui, CNN Money, 9 Sep. 2026
Definition of stir
Noun
  • For all the fuss the Edmonton Oilers have generated this offseason, the club will enter the 2026-27 season with a largely unchanged roster.
    — Janson Duench, New York Times, 10 Sep. 2026
  • The Amalfi Coast has become something of a cliché, but this reminds you what all the fuss was about in the first place.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of fuss

Browse Nearby Words

hurly-burlies
hurly-burly
hurrah
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Hurly-burly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hurly-burly. Accessed 19 Sep. 2026.

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