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
  • In the commotion, she was briefly separated from her 85-year-old mother, who lives with her.
    — Tony Briscoe, Los Angeles Times, 17 Oct. 2026
  • That allowed passengers to hear the commotion and discover what was happening.
    — Cynthia Littleton, Variety, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of commotion
Noun
  • The vote, which is veto-proof, was met with praise by animal rights groups and park advocates who have long called for the ban citing several incidents where horses crashed or caused disturbances.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 22 Oct. 2026
  • There’s also a second disturbance several hundred miles east-southeast of Bermuda that could develop through Friday while moving north-northeast, the hurricane center advisory said.
    — Robin Webb, Sun Sentinel, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of disturbance
Noun
  • The pass rush couldn’t get close to Chambliss (no sacks, 4 hurries), who was able to find receivers exploiting Missouri’s zone coverage.
    — PJ Green October 17, Kansas City Star, 17 Oct. 2026
  • Defensive tackle Will Echoles consistently disrupted the Missouri offensive front for five tackles, two broken up passes, one sack and one quarterback hurry.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 17 Oct. 2026
Definition of hurry
Noun
  • In the ensuing political turmoil, health workers went on strike, vaccine orders were delayed and follow-up vaccinations that usually accompany routine programs were disrupted.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 18 Oct. 2026
  • Nationwide protests over the high cost of living roiled France on Saturday, adding to turmoil over public spending and debt ahead of a critical vote in the National Assembly.
    — Jason Ma, Fortune, 17 Oct. 2026
Definition of turmoil
Noun
  • The video caused a mild, wholesome stir, but a stir nonetheless.
    — Alex Zietlow, Charlotte Observer, 21 Oct. 2026
  • Kosmos 2612 is operating in low Earth orbit (LEO), which is part of the reason its activities have created such a stir.
    — Mike Wall, Space.com, 21 Oct. 2026
Definition of stir
Noun
  • The results are often compared to pricier dedicated mirrorless digital cameras, delivered without the fuss of tweaking exposure or heavy post-processing.
    — Brad Bourque, The Verge, 20 Oct. 2026
  • With the film opening in theaters across the US on Friday, audiences now have their turn to see what all the fuss is about.
    — David Mack, CNN Money, 16 Oct. 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 25 Oct. 2026.

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