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
  • Miller denies that and says the gun fell from his sweatshirt pocket and got hit in the commotion.
    — Charlotte Observer, Charlotte Observer, 22 Aug. 2026
  • Is everything okay on MobLand after the behind-the-scenes commotion involving Tom Hardy.
    — Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 17 Aug. 2026
Definition of commotion
Noun
  • The smallest robot was the most agile of the three, and the largest one was the best at maintaining its trajectory when faced with disturbances meant to throw it off course.
    — Mack DeGeurin, Popular Science, 27 Aug. 2026
  • On Thursday a tropical disturbance managed to overcome headwinds to become a tropical storm.
    — Andrea Thompson, Scientific American, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of disturbance
Noun
  • 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
  • No matter your hurry, overloading your washing machine will produce a headache of a different sort (and might even cost you more money).
    — Mary Catherine McAnnally Scott, Southern Living, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of hurry
Noun
  • Despite all of this potential economic turmoil on the Canadian side, Carney still concluded that at the end of the day, the cost of acceding to Washington’s extravagant demands was higher than the cost of job losses and strain on a key industry.
    — Daniel DePetris, Chicago Tribune, 25 Aug. 2026
  • Despite the recent turmoil, shares are up around 14% in 2026.
    — Alex Harring, CNBC, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of turmoil
Noun
  • Here, the cars that caused the most stir with their standout auction results.
    — Viju Mathew, Robb Report, 19 Aug. 2026
  • The centers, used as high-program computing hubs as the use of artificial intelligence increases, are popping up across the nation and causing a stir.
    — Kairi Lowery, Miami Herald, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of stir
Noun
  • His parents did not want to cause a fuss and give this bully power over their son by calling him out.
    — R. Eric Thomas, Mercury News, 22 Aug. 2026
  • This marks the first time since 2022 that Barca could spend significantly and register players without fuss.
    — Tom Sanderson, Forbes.com, 22 Aug. 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 28 Aug. 2026.

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