TO DO Synonyms: 94 Similar and Opposite Words

to-do

noun

tə-ˈdü

Definition of to-do

as in commotion

a state of noisy, confused activity there was such a to-do when the mice got loose from the science room that I thought the principal was going to close the school

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Recent Examples of Synonyms for to-do

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

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

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

The three drawers also offer plenty of storage to keep your work surface clutter-free (or offer up a discreet place to stow away mid-day treats).

— Audrey Lee, Architectural Digest, 7 Oct. 2026
About 50 employees signed off on an email to leadership expressing concerns and providing suggestions, such as evaluating clutter and removing items like pillows that are hotspots for the insects.

— Corey Schmidt, Sacbee.com, 3 Oct. 2026

Definition of clutter

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

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.

Browse Nearby Words

to death

to-do

to-dos

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“To-do.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/to-do. Accessed 10 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of to-do

noun

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