# ado

/əˈdu/ (US) · /ɐdˈuː/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/ado
Updated: 2026-08-27

## Senses

### 1. fuss or trouble

noun · CEFR C2 · Literary

a lot of unnecessary excitement, worry, or activity.

For teachers: unnecessary activity, fuss, or ceremony, often surrounding a minor matter.

- After much ado about the seating plan, the dinner finally started.
- The committee spent hours debating the font for the invitations, creating much ado over a detail that few guests would even notice.

Usage: Commonly used in the phrase 'without further ado' to mean 'without wasting any more time'.

## Examples

- Without further ado, let's begin the show.
- After much ado about the seating arrangements, the wedding ceremony finally started an hour late.
- The committee spent months debating the proposal with much ado, only to reject the final draft during a five-minute meeting on Friday afternoon.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.