slapstick

noun

slap·​stick ˈslap-ˌstik How to pronounce slapstick (audio)
1
: a device made of two flat pieces of wood fastened at one end so as to make a loud noise when used by an actor to strike a person
2
: comedy stressing farce and horseplay
also : activity resembling slapstick
slapstick adjective
slapsticky adjective

Did you know?

The idea that knocking people about made for good comedy dates as far back as the Greco-Roman theater, where clowns rambunctiously "attacked" one another onstage. The object from which the word slapstick derives, however, was invented in Italy in the 16th century. Renaissance comedy typically featured stock characters placed in ridiculous situations, and one such ubiquitous character was Harlequin, whose brilliant costuming made him easily recognizable. Harlequin was given to wielding a paddle which was designed to make a terrible noise when he hit someone, usually to the delight of the audience. This paddle was eventually known in English as a "slapstick," and it became a symbol of that type of highly physical comedy. The word slapstick then came to refer to the comedy itself.

Examples of slapstick in a Sentence

an actor whose roles range from slapstick to serious drama a lowbrow comedy that relies heavily on slapstick for its laughs
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Carmen and Benny both gain a level of cachet around campus for having (ostensibly) slept together, but the encounter itself is a slapstick disaster. Inkoo Kang, New Yorker, 15 May 2025 Jam-packed with his absurd self-aware humor, the finale deviates from the show’s usual slapstick raunch with a rare tender moment between Jesse and his equally crude siblings, Judy (Edi Patterson) and Kelvin (Adam DeVine). Glenn Garner, Deadline, 4 May 2025 In commercial comedies nowadays, humor mostly happens through dialog or slapstick or exaggerations. Georg Szalai, The Hollywood Reporter, 1 Mar. 2025 Night Court captured audiences through the '80s with slapstick comedy and slow-burn romances — many of which were left unresolved when the show concluded in 1992. Emily Blackwood, People.com, 6 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for slapstick

Word History

First Known Use

1896, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of slapstick was in 1896

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Cite this Entry

“Slapstick.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/slapstick. Accessed 29 May. 2025.

Kids Definition

slapstick

noun
slap·​stick ˈslap-ˌstik How to pronounce slapstick (audio)
: comedy stressing horseplay
slapstick adjective

More from Merriam-Webster on slapstick

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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