kerfuffle

ker·fuf·fle

/kərˈfəfəl/

noun

INFORMAL•BRITISH

a commotion or fuss, especially one caused by conflicting views. For example, “there was a kerfuffle over the chairmanship”.
a disturbance or commotion typically caused by a dispute or conflict. “In all the kerfuffle, nobody seemed to have noticed Harry, which suited him perfectly”.
Example: “Given Noah’s social media kerfuffle with Kanye West, viewers should also be attuned to any biting commentary.” — Melissa Ruggieri, USA TODAY, 30 Mar. 2022

Synonyms

disturbance, hoo-ha, to-do, commotion, flutter, hurly-burly, disruption, hoo-hah and brouhaha.

Origin

The root of “kerfuffle” is the very old Scots verb “fuffle,” which first appeared in print in the early 16th century and means “to throw into disorder.” The Oxford English Dictionary suggests that the “ker” part of “kerfuffle” may hare come from the Gaelic word “car,” meaning “to twist, bend or turn around.” In the case of “kerfuffle,” that would serve as a sort of intensive element, giving us the sense of “a twisted up, confused ruckus or dispute.” Sounds like every “kerfuffle” I’ve ever seen.