Word of the Day: Brouhaha
What's the story
The word "brouhaha" is a noun that captures the chaos of a loud uproar, heated commotion, or an over-the-top fuss. When there's a "brouhaha," it's like a storm of voices, wild hand gestures, and people losing their minds over something—often completely unnecessary. It's the word for unexpected drama, a viral controversy, or a debate that spirals out of control.
Origin
Origin of the word
"Brouhaha" comes straight from French, where it was used in the 16th century to mimic the excited noise of a crowd. Some theories suggest it evolved from the Hebrew phrase barukh habba, meaning "blessed is he who comes," which was misunderstood and exaggerated into chaotic noise. By the 19th century, English speakers had adopted it to mean any overblown fuss.
Synonyms
Synonyms for 'brouhaha'
Other wild words in the "brouhaha" family include uproar, commotion, ruckus, and hullabaloo. If you want to dial up the drama, try fracas, mayhem, kerfuffle, or pandemonium—perfect for capturing absolute chaos.
Usage
Sentence usage
Let's bring "brouhaha" into the madness: "A minor comment on social media turned into a full-blown 'brouhaha,' with people arguing in the comments section for days." "The unexpected power outage caused a 'brouhaha' in the newsroom, with reporters scrambling to file their stories on time."
Extra detail
Why use the word
"Brouhaha" isn't just noise—it's noise with drama. It's for those situations where things escalate out of nowhere, whether it's a viral internet scandal, an office meltdown, or a family argument over who forgot to buy milk. Use "brouhaha" when you want to inject some playful exaggeration into your writing—because let's be real, life's full of unnecessary chaos.