1
as in comedy
humorous entertainment
an actor whose roles range from slapstick to serious drama
Synonyms & Similar Words
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2
as in clowning
wildly playful or mischievous behavior
a lowbrow comedy that relies heavily on slapstick for its laughs
Synonyms & Similar Words
as in zany
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of slapstick
ArsTechnica, 1 June 2026
Shankman keeps a steady hand on the wheel, no doubt comfortable in the knowledge that if a one-liner or slapstick bit misses the mark, there will be a bunch more to follow.
—David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 1 June 2026
Brendan Morrow, USA Today, 3 May 2026
The novel is by turns slapstick and sincere in its consideration of digital devices.
—Hannah Gold, Harpers Magazine, 24 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for slapstick
Noun
But not all commercial slapsticks are created equal, according to Daniel Ludwigsen of Kettering University, who presented the results of his preliminary experiments comparing five versions at a meeting of the Acoustical Society of America in Philadelphia.
—ArsTechnica, 1 June 2026
Shankman keeps a steady hand on the wheel, no doubt comfortable in the knowledge that if a one-liner or slapstick bit misses the mark, there will be a bunch more to follow.
—David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 1 June 2026
Adjective
Elsewhere in the episode, Rodrigo starred in a slapstick-heavy sketch about a 1980s soap opera where people keep tripping and violently falling down stairs in increasingly absurd ways.
—Brendan Morrow, USA Today, 3 May 2026
The novel is by turns slapstick and sincere in its consideration of digital devices.
—Hannah Gold, Harpers Magazine, 24 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for slapstick
Recent Examples of Synonyms for slapstick
Noun
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The two first crossed paths on André's Adult Swim late-night talk show comedy series The Eric André Show in 2020.—
Raven Brunner,
PEOPLE,
23 June 2026
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In the latest installment of the comedy franchise, written by Chris Hazzard and Mike Fontana, Nick faces his biggest challenge yet… grandkids.—
Glenn Garner,
Deadline,
22 June 2026
Noun
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The clowning might be a little too effortful.—
Theater Critic,
Los Angeles Times,
13 May 2026
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As the race unfolds in real time, there’s clowning, collisions, sabotage, surprises, comedy, chaos and more.—
Pam Kragen,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
13 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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More than 2,200 theaters throughout the country showed the eighth episode and never-before-seen series finale of the zany online series from Australian animation studio Glitch Productions.—
Samantha Masunaga,
Los Angeles Times,
9 June 2026
-
Schlossberg, whose zany social media antics and Kennedy lineage brought national eyes to the race, has cast himself as an fresh face to a party searching for stars during Trump’s second term.—
Anthony Izaguirre,
Fortune,
5 June 2026
Noun
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Blending live action and animation, the digital shorts pair Pratt’s curiosity and humor with Goodwin’s historical expertise and fact-checking to highlight America’s founding ideals.—
Matt Donnelly,
Variety,
18 June 2026
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Sacred stories full of courage and humor and grace, and that each of those stories in some way connected to my own.—
Sara Tenenbaum,
CBS News,
18 June 2026
Noun
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Oh, but the Padres manager was ready with the joking last night.—
Kevin Acee,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
21 June 2026
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Still, Yoon’s joking somehow lightens the mood.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
11 June 2026
Adjective
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Martin showed that even a clownish gentleman with a pure heart could woo someone like Tisha Campbell’s Gina.—
Jordan Hoffman,
Entertainment Weekly,
8 June 2026
-
The Black characters that appeared on-screen closely resembled the clownish stereotypes popularized by the minstrels.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
25 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Why does satire sometimes reveal truth more effectively than journalism?—
Marc Adelman,
HollywoodReporter,
16 June 2026
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The Disney+ show about a struggling actor with actual superpowers who struggles to land a role in a superhero movie is as much of a Hollywood satire as a comic book adaptation.—
Christian Zilko,
IndieWire,
15 June 2026
Noun
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The show, with its interest in corporate buffoonery, doesn’t quite manage to hand-wave away the queasy implications.—
Inkoo Kang,
New Yorker,
27 Mar. 2026
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Receivers have cratered seasons with me-over-we buffoonery.—
Troy Renck,
Denver Post,
19 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Slapstick.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/slapstick. Accessed 23 Jun. 2026.
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