clownery

noun

clown·​ery ˈklau̇-nə-rē How to pronounce clownery (audio)
plural clowneries
: clownish behavior or an instance of clownishness : buffoonery

Examples of clownery in a Sentence

it was clownery like that that resulted in an expensive vase being broken
Recent Examples on the Web Tirhakah Love is a senior writer at New York Magazine and the host of the new evening newsletter Dinner Party, a daily email that touches on all things entertainment — that means film, television, music, tech, and gaming — plus politics and corporate clownery. Vulture, 29 Apr. 2022 The Winx Club live action is a big clownery! Olivia Truffaut-Wong, refinery29.com, 25 Jan. 2021 Allow Yahya Abdul-Mateen II to clarify his remarks about Aquaman being the work of clowns with… some clownery. Jessica Wang, EW.com, 1 Sep. 2022 As for Abdul-Mateen, the clownery will resume for him on Broadway. Jessica Wang, EW.com, 1 Sep. 2022 Chronicle Books In the world of clownery, tradition has long dictated that a clown must never steal another clown’s look. Constance Grady, Vox, 20 Aug. 2018 Seems as if the airlines are still clowning and being targeted with lawsuits because of the clownery. Breanna Edwards, The Root, 14 May 2018 DeVos, the country’s most useless white woman and a case study for how institutions both favor and are eroded by white mediocrity, became the literal face of clownery following the appalling interview. Anne Branigin, The Root, 12 Mar. 2018 Either one of his performances would have been noteworthy, but that the same person should be playing both parts (as well as that of Mr. Wickham) is a truly stupendous piece of quick-change clownery. Terry Teachout, WSJ, 6 July 2017

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'clownery.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1589, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of clownery was in 1589

Dictionary Entries Near clownery

Cite this Entry

“Clownery.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/clownery. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!