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
  • There’s a lot of commotion swirling around you, and much of the drama may not even involve you directly.
    — Steph Koyfman, Condé Nast Traveler, 28 Sep. 2026
  • Robin’s younger sister Riverley heard the commotion and ran for help.
    — Angel Saunders, PEOPLE, 25 Sep. 2026
Definition of commotion
Noun
  • While all of Saturday will be dry, skies will trend partly to mostly cloudy as the cloud shield with Isaias and an upper-level disturbance spread into the region.
    — Trey Fulbright, CBS News, 8 Oct. 2026
  • Officers arrived after a disturbance between two neighbors escalated to one man shooting another, police said.
    — Shambhavi Rimal, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of disturbance
Noun
  • If your relief pitcher throws a wild pitch after your defense allowed a gift triple, your season can end in a hurry.
    — Ian Miller OutKick, FOXNews.com, 6 Oct. 2026
  • But Chicago can put up runs in a hurry, as Houston found out.
    — The Athletic MLB Staff, New York Times, 3 Oct. 2026
Definition of hurry
Noun
  • But deeper into the hills of the Ivy League institution, a homemade banner hanging from student co-op housing Saturday signals roiling turmoil.
    — Taylor Galgano, CNN Money, 4 Oct. 2026
  • The song, written with Dan Wilson, isn’t just a story of the turmoil that befell the band post-2003.
    — Marissa R. Moss, Rolling Stone, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of turmoil
Noun
  • Musk's comment against Ambani caused a political stir in India, eliciting a response from India's leader of opposition, Rahul Gandhi, who has consistently alleged that the government is being influenced by powerful businessmen in India.
    — Priyanka Salve, CNBC, 9 Oct. 2026
  • Mitch Holthus, the voice of the Chiefs, created quite a stir Sunday at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas.
    — Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of stir
Noun
  • There’s something classic about a plate of buffalo wings in front of a TV playing football, and this gets you there without any fuss.
    — Danielle Bouchard, Martha Stewart, 26 Sep. 2026
  • 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
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 11 Oct. 2026.

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