1
: farmer, countryman
2
: a rude ill-bred person : boor
3
a
: a fool, jester, or comedian in an entertainment (such as a play)
specifically
: a usually colorfully costumed comedy performer in a circus
b
: a person who habitually jokes and plays the buffoon
c
clowned; clowning; clowns
: to act as or like a clown
always clowning around
Examples of clown in a Sentence
Noun
Those big shoes make you look like a clown!
Who's the clown standing in the middle of the road?
those clowns at the state capital
Verb
as a youngster he was always clowning around in the classroom
Recent Examples on the Web
Felicia Melody, Variety, 29 Nov. 2025
Originally a professional clown and stage actor, Irwin won a Tony for Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?
—Danny Horn, Entertainment Weekly, 29 Nov. 2025
PC Magazine, 1 Dec. 2025
The parade, which started on Manhattan's Upper West Side and closed at the iconic Macy's Herald Square flagship store on 34th Street, included dozens of balloons, floats, clown groups and marching bands.
—Arkansas Online, 28 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for clown
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Noun
Featuring Marthino Lio as the leading role, the main plot navigates a fresh mystery of a haunting clown-doll entity.
—Felicia Melody, Variety, 29 Nov. 2025
Originally a professional clown and stage actor, Irwin won a Tony for Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?
—Danny Horn, Entertainment Weekly, 29 Nov. 2025
Verb
This price is kind of clowning every other budget TV right now.
—PC Magazine, 1 Dec. 2025
The parade, which started on Manhattan's Upper West Side and closed at the iconic Macy's Herald Square flagship store on 34th Street, included dozens of balloons, floats, clown groups and marching bands.
—Arkansas Online, 28 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for clown
Cite this Entry
“Clown.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/clown. Accessed 7 Dec. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
clown
1 of 2 noun1
: a rude and often stupid person
2
: a performer (as in a play or circus) who usually wears funny clothes and makeup and tries to make people laugh
clownish
adjective
ˈklau̇-nish
clownishly
adverb
clownishness
noun
clown
2 of 2 verb
: to act like a clown
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