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 front retreats to the north, but chances of rain stick around into early Friday as the shortwave (small disturbance) pushes out of the area.
    — Michael Autovino, CBS News, 10 Sep. 2026
  • That disturbance can travel eastward from the Tibetan Plateau as a large-scale atmospheric wave, known as a Tibetan Plateau-Rocky Mountain Wave train.
    — Yongkang Xue, The Conversation, 10 Sep. 2026
Definition of disturbance
Noun
  • 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
  • In hurry-and-scurry mode, Katalyst built a robotic spacecraft called LINK, which launched on July 3 to meet up with Swift and haul it to a higher orbit.
    — Leonard David, Space.com, 27 Aug. 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
  • Yet the notice has also raised a stir in the mathematics community for another reason.
    — Karina Tsui, CNN Money, 9 Sep. 2026
  • Maybe removing Joel Shapiro's Blue so summarily from its perch at the Kennedy Center will make people even more eager to seek out the towering figure who caused such a stir.
    — Scott Simon, NPR, 5 Sep. 2026
Definition of stir
Noun
  • 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
  • Caicedo has been super low-key, taking every opportunity to voice his commitment to Chelsea when asked about his future and signing a new contract with minimal fuss last season.
    — Simon Johnson, New York Times, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of fuss

Browse Nearby Words

hurly-burlies
hurly-burly
hurrah
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Cite this Entry

“Hurly-burly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hurly-burly. Accessed 12 Sep. 2026.

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