Standard Lemma guide

to-do

noun · 3 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • CMU ARPABET: T UW2 D UW1 Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

noun

Meaning 1

A fuss made over something.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • I was embarrassed that they made such a big to-do out of my birthday.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: ado, bustle, fuss, argy-bargy, bangarang, bobbery, brouhaha, bunfight, bust-up, chaos, ferment, clamour, clatter, commotion, disruption, disturbance, flap, flutter, foofaraw, fracas, furor, hobbleshaw, hoo-ha, hoo-hah, hubbub, hullabaloo, hurly-burly, kerfuffle, mayhem, merry hell, outcry, palaver, pandemonium, pother, quarrel, riot, rowdydow, ruckus, rumpus, shemozzle, shindy, splatterdash, stir, stooshie, three-ring circus, to-do, tomfoolery, trouble, tumult, turmoil, unrest, uproar, upstir

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

A task that has been noted as one that must be completed, especially on a list.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • My to-do list has been growing longer every day.
  • I have so many to-dos, I don't know where to start.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

a disorderly outburst or tumult

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • they were amazed by the furious disturbance they had caused

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: disturbance, disruption, commotion, flutter, hurly burly, hoo-ha, hoo-hah, kerfuffle

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: disorder

Narrower terms: convulsion, turmoil, upheaval, earthquake, incident, stir, splash, storm, tempest, storm center, storm centre, tumult, tumultuousness, uproar, garboil

History

Etymology

From to + do, formed on analogy with ado. Compare affair.

Across languages

Translations

14 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Bulgarian: врява (vrjava) — fuss — see also fuss
  • Finnish: häly — fuss — see also fuss
  • Finnish: älämölö — fuss — see also fuss
  • Lithuanian: sąmyšis — fuss — see also fuss
  • Bulgarian: задача (zadača) — task
  • Finnish: tehtävä — task
  • French: à faire — task
  • Norwegian Bokmål: huskeliste — task
  • Norwegian Bokmål: gjøremål — task
  • Norwegian Nynorsk: hugseliste — task
  • Norwegian Nynorsk: gjeremål — task
  • Spanish: pendientes — task
  • Spanish: encargos — task
  • Spanish: quehacer — task