as in complaining
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Dissimilar Words
1
as in screaming
to express dissatisfaction, pain, or resentment usually tiresomely
the eldest daughter is always fussing that she gets stuck with all the chores around the house
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in drooling
to make an exaggerated display of affection or enthusiasm
fans fussing over their favorite rock guitarist
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in moaning
to make often peevish criticisms or objections about matters that are minor, unimportant, or irrelevant
the picky eater who fusses over the arrangement of food on his plate or who won't eat the rice if it touches the salad
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in fawning
to use flattery or the doing of favors in order to win approval especially from a superior
given to fussing over her father whenever she wants a favor or some ready cash
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in worrying
to experience concern or anxiety
there is no use in fussing over things that you can't control
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
6
as in bothering
to trouble the mind of; to make uneasy
you shouldn't let a little thing like that fuss you
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of fussing
Alicia Geigel, Southern Living, 29 Apr. 2026
Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 13 Mar. 2026
Your son is fussing in his car seat.
—Elizabeth Bruenig, The Atlantic, 12 Feb. 2026
Emma looked around, confused at the adults fussing around him and too young, perhaps, to grasp the severity of the scene.
—Maeva Bambuck, CNN Money, 1 Feb. 2026
As the migrants boarded, a man hoisted one of the passengers in the air, a fussing 8-month-old baby whose face was flushed red from the heat.
—Daniel Gonzalez, AZCentral.com, 6 Nov. 2025
With five blades sandwiched between two moisturizing bars, this razor speeds up the entire process (no fussing around with shaving cream), nourishing dry skin and making nicks a rare occurrence.
—Sophia Panych, Allure, 16 Sep. 2025
This was the mid 1980s and tandem skydiving hadn’t been popularized yet, so his father, Roger, adjusted accordingly by stuffing carpet padding into the leg pads to stop him from fussing.
—Angelina Liu, People.com, 2 Sep. 2025
Helen bending at her wide waist, fussing again with the shoe, a cream leather high-top, cursing quietly under her breath, hair falling into her face.
—Literary Hub, 23 June 2025
Adjective
No more fussing, fumbling, or making a mess of my counter.
—Alicia Geigel, Southern Living, 29 Apr. 2026
Verb
Ever the dedicated mother, Stacy runs to her adult daughter’s aid, fussing at her for not using a driver for her errands.
—Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 13 Mar. 2026
Your son is fussing in his car seat.
—Elizabeth Bruenig, The Atlantic, 12 Feb. 2026
Emma looked around, confused at the adults fussing around him and too young, perhaps, to grasp the severity of the scene.
—Maeva Bambuck, CNN Money, 1 Feb. 2026
As the migrants boarded, a man hoisted one of the passengers in the air, a fussing 8-month-old baby whose face was flushed red from the heat.
—Daniel Gonzalez, AZCentral.com, 6 Nov. 2025
With five blades sandwiched between two moisturizing bars, this razor speeds up the entire process (no fussing around with shaving cream), nourishing dry skin and making nicks a rare occurrence.
—Sophia Panych, Allure, 16 Sep. 2025
This was the mid 1980s and tandem skydiving hadn’t been popularized yet, so his father, Roger, adjusted accordingly by stuffing carpet padding into the leg pads to stop him from fussing.
—Angelina Liu, People.com, 2 Sep. 2025
Helen bending at her wide waist, fussing again with the shoe, a cream leather high-top, cursing quietly under her breath, hair falling into her face.
—Literary Hub, 23 June 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fussing
Adjective
-
An energy vampire has bad body language, the complaining look on their face, the vocal complainer.—
Edgar Thompson,
The Orlando Sentinel,
8 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The cells are basically screaming ‘Hey, our DNA is getting cooked here,’ and that stimulates the pigment cell.—
Sean Krofssik,
Hartford Courant,
16 June 2026
-
Police said officers were dispatched after a caller reported hearing a woman screaming inside an apartment.—
Anthony Thompson,
USA Today,
16 June 2026
Verb
-
This pitching matchup will have the purists drooling.—
Darren Cooper,
Forbes.com,
11 June 2026
-
Familiarize yourself with common signs of heat intolerance, such as excessive panting, drooling, vomiting, weakness or blueish gums.—
Amy DeYoung,
USA Today,
9 June 2026
Verb
-
The process left Carruthers bleeding and moaning on May 21, according to the witness, Maria DeLiberato, senior counsel at the American Civil Liberties Union's Capital Punishment Project.—
Amanda Lee Myers,
USA Today,
28 May 2026
-
The stuff with a load of people wearing wigs moaning about taxes just isn’t seen as very glamorous.—
Sean Woods,
Rolling Stone,
25 May 2026
Verb
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Pelley’s fawning interview with then-president Biden tells a different story.—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
11 June 2026
-
Along for the ride is his fawning, idiotic buddy Stevie (Steve Little).—
Jordan Hoffman,
Entertainment Weekly,
8 June 2026
Verb
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In Disclosure Day, Jane’s worrying is curious, coming from someone who meant to become a nun.—
Luis Parrales,
The Atlantic,
18 June 2026
-
Looking to be quite aggressive in a football sense and always looking for the solution and what can happen instead of worrying about what the problem is.—
Andy Mitten,
New York Times,
17 June 2026
Verb
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Instead, the reviews were largely muted, with analysts not bothering to adjust their revenue estimates for 2027 or 2028, according to data compiled by Bloomberg.—
Bloomberg,
Mercury News,
17 June 2026
-
That appears to be bothering people, as the broadcast noted some pointed conversations among the Spanish team during the hydration break.—
Andrew Greif,
NBC news,
16 June 2026
Adjective
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The death toll includes at least 19 children, 21 non-protesting civilians, and 165 in government or security forces.—
The Hill,
The Hill,
17 Jan. 2026
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Among the dead were 13 children and 14 non-protesting civilians, HRANA said.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
15 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Fussing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fussing. Accessed 20 Jun. 2026.
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