brouhaha

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for July 27, 2025 is: brouhaha \BROO-hah-hah\ noun
Brouhaha is a synonym of both [uproar](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/uproar) and [hubbub](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hubbub) that refers to great excitement or concern about something.

// A brouhaha erupted over the bill, even though the opposing party stood to gain just as much from its passage.

[See the entry >](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/brouhaha)


Examples:

“Ultimately, like much of the population, [mountain lion] P-22 seemed to be making do with what he had. His crawl-space sit-in, which dominated the local news media for a couple of days, felt like a moment of accommodation. In the face of feeble attempts to get him to move—lights were flashed, sticks were waved, a tennis-ball cannon was deployed—P-22 stared out with an imperturbable expression that members of cat households recognized instantly. It said, ‘What?’ At night, once the brouhaha had died down, P-22 slipped back into the park.” — Alex Ross, The New Yorker, 3 Apr. 2023

Did you know?

The English language borrowed brouhaha directly from French in the late 19th century, but its origins beyond that are uncertain—not the subject of a noisy brouhaha but perhaps a little modest debate. What’s less arguable is that brouhaha is fun to say, as are many of its synonyms, including [hubbub](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hubbub), [williwaw](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/williwaw), [hullabaloo](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hullabaloo), [bobbery](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bobbery), and [kerfuffle](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/kerfuffle). Many of these, like brouhaha, tend to suggest a certain judgment that the reason for all the [foofaraw](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/foofaraw) is a bit silly, or at least not worth getting all worked up about. A [dad joke](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dad-joke), for example, might cause a brouhaha, even though it’s really no reason for an uproar to brew. Haha!