brouhaha

noun

brou·​ha·​ha ˈbrü-ˌhä-ˌhä How to pronounce brouhaha (audio)
ˌbrü-ˌhä-ˈhä,
brü-ˈhä-ˌhä
: hubbub, uproar
A brouhaha erupted over her statements.

Did you know?

The English language borrowed brouhaha directly from French in the late 18th century, but its origins beyond that are uncertain—not quite the subject of noisy brouhaha but perhaps more modest debate. What’s less arguable is that brouhaha is fun to say, as are many of its synonyms, including hubbub, williwaw, hullabaloo, bobbery, and kerfuffle. And many of these, also like brouhaha, tend to suggest a certain judgment that the reason for all the foofaraw is a bit silly, or at least not worth getting all worked up about. A dad joke, for example, might raise some brouhaha, even though it’s really no reason for an uproar to brew. Haha!

Examples of brouhaha in a Sentence

A brouhaha erupted over her statements about the president. There's been a lot of brouhaha about her statements.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
The brouhaha between Olympic gold medalist Noah Lyles and Miami Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill took another step this week. Larry Holder, The Athletic, 22 Aug. 2024 The ensuing brouhaha prompted Jon Cicirelli, director of San Jose’s Parks, Recreation and Neighborhood Services department, to send a letter aiming to clarify the situation — including the fact that the Prusch Farm Park Foundation doesn’t operate the park. Sal Pizarro, The Mercury News, 4 Nov. 2024 Mostly lost in this culture-war brouhaha, however, is the more substantive claim Vance was making. Catherine Rampell, Washington Post, 30 July 2024 Locke explained the unseemly brouhaha to Caparas off-camera. Sam Kestenbaum, Harper's Magazine, 21 June 2024 See all Example Sentences for brouhaha 

Word History

Etymology

French

First Known Use

1890, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of brouhaha was in 1890

Podcast

Dictionary Entries Near brouhaha

Cite this Entry

“Brouhaha.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/brouhaha. Accessed 26 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

brouhaha

noun
brou·​ha·​ha
ˈbrü-ˌhä-ˌhä

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