Samara Kalk DerbyDeborah GimelsonRebecca CukierDavid Booth ZillionsTerry RobardsJim Carroll Jessica Dolcourt 
Did you know?
In French, the interjection houp-là is used roughly the same way as English’s upsy-daisy or whoops-a-daisy, as one might say when picking up a toddler who has fallen down on their bottom to assure them that their tumble is not a big deal. When the word was borrowed into English, however, it referred to a kind of excited or agitated commotion, synonymous with other h-words including hoo-ha, hubbub, and hullabaloo. Hoopla later gained a sense referring to hype, especially of the kind marketing execs cook up for the release of a new product. Both senses can carry with them a whiff of disapproval. If you’re calling something hoopla—whether it’s the bustle of activity around a holiday or the promotional buzz around a new movie—chances are you want to convey to others that the cause of the fuss may not be such a big deal.
Examples of hoopla in a Sentence
Hunter Patterson, New York Times, 20 May 2025
And that was nothing compared to the the hoopla that took place inside the hotel, where comedian Red Skelton was the big guest of honor, a radio drama was performed on the hotel’s main floor and more entertainment was held in the lobby and other rooms, including a quiz show.
—Sal Pizarro, Mercury News, 10 May 2025
The Met Gala outdid itself on Monday, with far more fanfare, more hoopla, and far more money raised than ever before.
—Gretta Monahan, Boston Herald, 8 May 2025
But the different-colored smoke is much more recent, added to the hoopla in 1914 with the election of Pope Benedict XV.
—Bethy Squires, Vulture, 7 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for hoopla
Cite this Entry
“Hoopla.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hoopla. Accessed 3 Jun. 2025.
Copy Citation
Share