buffoon

noun

buf·​foon (ˌ)bə-ˈfün 

1

: a ludicrous figure : clown

2

: a gross and usually ill-educated or stupid person

acting like a ridiculous buffoon

buffoonish

(ˌ)bə-ˈfü-nish 

adjective

Synonyms of buffoon

• clown

Examples of buffoon in a Sentence

Stop acting like a buffoon.

the children at the birthday party giggled at the buffoon's silly tricks

Recent Examples on the Web

Johnson delights in playing the role of lovable buffoon in the locker room, but his goofiness has purpose. —Jared Weiss, New York Times, 2 Jan. 2026

Finally there’s Arthur, an upwards-failing buffoon caught—like so many of his countrymen, then and now—between Conkling’s spoils system and Garfield’s idealism. —Judy Berman, Time, 28 Nov. 2025

The two buffoons shave her head, chain her in the basement of a messy remote home and then accuse her of being an alien. —Randy Myers, Mercury News, 22 Oct. 2025

Best of The Bee: FBI’s Kash Patel blasts Adam Schiff as a ‘political buffoon’ via David Lightman California Legislature took aim at speeding up home building. —Nicole Nixon, Sacbee.com, 17 Sep. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle French bouffon, from Old Italian buffone

First Known Use

1584, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for buffoon

• attune
• baboon
• balloon
• bassoon
• cartoon
• cocoon
• festoon
• gaboon
• harpoon
• immune
• impugn
• jejune

Kids Definition

buffoon

noun

buf·​foon (ˌ)bə-ˈfün 

1

: clown entry 1 sense 2

2

: a crude or stupid person