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
Gillian Telling, PEOPLE, 4 Dec. 2025
As Rich smartly deduces, a rift between them is exactly what the clown wants, but the damage is done once Ronnie says Lilly should still be in Juniper Hill and storms off.
—Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 1 Dec. 2025
Stephanie Sengwe, PEOPLE, 7 Dec. 2025
This price is kind of clowning every other budget TV right now.
—PC Magazine, 3 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for clown
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Noun
That's really a clown's job, to make people laugh.
—Gillian Telling, PEOPLE, 4 Dec. 2025
As Rich smartly deduces, a rift between them is exactly what the clown wants, but the damage is done once Ronnie says Lilly should still be in Juniper Hill and storms off.
—Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 1 Dec. 2025
Verb
Van Dyke got to clown around with Bea Arthur for an episode of Golden Girls back in 1989.
—Stephanie Sengwe, PEOPLE, 7 Dec. 2025
This price is kind of clowning every other budget TV right now.
—PC Magazine, 3 Dec. 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 10 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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