# fuss

/ˈfəs/ (US) · /fˈʌs/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/fuss
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. unnecessary excitement

noun · CEFR B2

too much worry or excitement about something that is not very important.

For teachers: excessive or unnecessary activity, excitement, or concern regarding a trivial matter.

- All that fuss over a broken plate seemed a bit much to me.
- The media made a tremendous fuss about the minor scheduling conflict, treating it as if it were a major political scandal.

Usage: Often used with the preposition 'about' or 'over'.

### 2. a complaint

noun · CEFR B2

a show of anger or a complaint about something you do not like.

For teachers: a public display of protest, complaint, or dissatisfaction.

- He made a fuss at the restaurant because his soup was cold.
- If the service doesn't improve, I am prepared to make a fuss and demand to speak with the manager.

Usage: Commonly used in the idiom 'to make a fuss'.

### 3. extra attention

noun · CEFR B2

a lot of attention, praise, or love shown to a person or animal.

For teachers: an exhibition of excessive affection, admiration, or solicitous attention.

- Everyone made a big fuss of the new baby when they arrived.
- The dog enjoys the fuss the children make of him whenever they visit for the weekend.

Usage: In British English, the construction is usually 'make a fuss of someone'.

### 4. to worry or be busy

verb · CEFR B2

to worry too much about small details or to keep busy with unimportant things.

For teachers: to behave in a nervous or restless manner; to pay excessive attention to petty details.

- Stop fussing with your hair and let's go to the party.
- She spent the entire morning fussing over the seating arrangements, even though it was just an informal lunch.

Usage: Intransitive verb; frequently followed by 'over' or 'with'.

### 5. to be unhappy or cry

verb · CEFR B2 · American English

to be annoyed or to cry a little bit, especially used for babies.

For teachers: to be ill-humoured or to cry fretfully.

- The baby started to fuss because it was past his nap time.
- The toddler began to fuss and pull at his clothes as the afternoon heat became more intense.

## Examples

- I don't know what all the fuss is about.
- The hotel staff made a huge fuss over the celebrity, even though she just wanted a quiet room.
- The media created such a fuss over the minor policy change that the actual benefits of the legislation were completely overlooked by the public.

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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.