A kerfuffle is a noisy fuss or commotion over something that's usually not very important. When your class erupts into a kerfuffle because someone claims they saw a spider, everyone's suddenly talking loudly, jumping around, and making a big deal out of something small.

The word itself sounds a bit silly and playful, which fits perfectly: kerfuffles are more amusing than serious. If your little brother causes a kerfuffle at dinner by declaring he won't eat anything green, he's creating unnecessary drama and excitement. When neighbors have a kerfuffle over whose leaves blew into whose yard, they're arguing loudly about something trivial.

A kerfuffle combines confusion, noise, and agitation all at once. Picture the scene when someone knocks over a tower of paint cans in art class: the clattering, the gasps, the rush of people trying to help, and the paint spreading everywhere. That chaotic moment is a perfect kerfuffle.

The word often suggests that cooler heads should probably prevail. Most kerfuffles blow over quickly once people calm down and realize the situation wasn't worth all that excitement in the first place.