kerfuffle

[ker-fuhf-uhl] / kərˈfʌf əl /

NOUN

fuss; commotion

Synonyms

STRONGEST

commotion disorder disruption disturbance

STRONG

brouhaha convulsion fracas melee row splash tumult upheaval

WEAK

chaos fiasco unrest

Antonyms

STRONGEST

order

WEAK

calm peacefulness tranquility

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Instead, Beijing has decided to turn a modest kerfuffle into a major confrontation.

From The Wall Street Journal

A kerfuffle broke out after OpenAI’s Sarah Friar suggested at The Wall Street Journal’s Tech Live conference that the U.S. government should provide loan guarantees to help build out AI infrastructure.

From Barron's

The rivalry is only intensifying and each kerfuffle, even if smoothed out, erodes trust between the two rivals.

From Barron's

The latest kerfuffle with Canada will likely be sorted and chances generally look good for an agreement with China—at least until the next unpredictable wrangle.

From Barron's

This latest kerfuffle also overshadowed a strong start to earnings season from the big banks.

From Barron's