buffoonery
noun
buf·foon·ery
(ˌ)bə-ˈfü-nə-rē 
-ˈfün-rē
plural buffooneries
: foolish or playful behavior or practice
Synonyms
Examples of buffoonery in a Sentence
their madcap buffoonery turned the duo into the nation's hottest comedy act
Recent Examples on the Web
Perkins and Chavez-Richmond are delivering absolutely winning performances, expertly walking the line between buffoonery and poignancy.
—
Sara Holdren, Vulture, 22 Sep. 2023
Once heralded as a fearless lawman, game-changing New York City mayor and Sept. 11 hero, he is now defined by a subservience to the 45th president that sometimes veered into buffoonery.
—Dan Barry, New York Times, 15 Aug. 2023
And shook our head at the Snyder buffoonery and clownsmanship.
—Mike Freeman, USA TODAY, 13 Apr. 2023
White House Plumbers endeavors to humanize its perpetrators by illustrating that beneath their buffoonery was… lots and lots more buffoonery.
—Daniel Fienberg, The Hollywood Reporter, 28 Apr. 2023
By the spring of 2015, both were prime 20-somethings and three-time Cup champs — an era that now seems long ago amid the franchise’s ongoing buffoonery.
—Kevin Paul Dupont, BostonGlobe.com, 15 Apr. 2023
Eccentric circles, clapping, buffoonery.
—Ben Lerner, The New York Review of Books, 23 July 2020
One of those f - - - - - - people just meets another level of buffoonery.
—Kirsty Hatcher, Peoplemag, 6 Apr. 2023
No cheerleaders, no sideline buffoonery.
—Kent Russell, Harper's Magazine, 15 Sep. 2020
See More
Sara Holdren, Vulture, 22 Sep. 2023
Once heralded as a fearless lawman, game-changing New York City mayor and Sept. 11 hero, he is now defined by a subservience to the 45th president that sometimes veered into buffoonery.
—Dan Barry, New York Times, 15 Aug. 2023
And shook our head at the Snyder buffoonery and clownsmanship.
—Mike Freeman, USA TODAY, 13 Apr. 2023
White House Plumbers endeavors to humanize its perpetrators by illustrating that beneath their buffoonery was… lots and lots more buffoonery.
—Daniel Fienberg, The Hollywood Reporter, 28 Apr. 2023
By the spring of 2015, both were prime 20-somethings and three-time Cup champs — an era that now seems long ago amid the franchise’s ongoing buffoonery.
—Kevin Paul Dupont, BostonGlobe.com, 15 Apr. 2023
Eccentric circles, clapping, buffoonery.
—Ben Lerner, The New York Review of Books, 23 July 2020
One of those f - - - - - - people just meets another level of buffoonery.
—Kirsty Hatcher, Peoplemag, 6 Apr. 2023
No cheerleaders, no sideline buffoonery.
—Kent Russell, Harper's Magazine, 15 Sep. 2020
See More
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'buffoonery.' 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
1621, in the meaning defined above
Articles Related to buffoonery
Dictionary Entries Near buffoonery
Cite this Entry
“Buffoonery.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/buffoonery. Accessed 29 Nov. 2023.
Copy Citation
Kids Definition
More from Merriam-Webster on buffoonery
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share