slapstick
noun
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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
Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 2 Mar. 2025
The aliens, including Parson’s character, an outcast who forms an unlikely bond with Tip, are a smidge too silly and slapstick — especially considering how fundamentally upsetting Home’s premise is.
—James Grebey, Vulture, 31 Jan. 2025
Through the half century since their last Super Bowl berth, for those joining us late, the Chiefs were 5-17 in postseason games marked by soul-crushing losses often underscored with a certain slapstick flourish.
—Vahe Gregorian, Kansas City Star, 22 Jan. 2025
Where Wilson went slow, Kosky goes fast; his performers engage in vaudevillian prancing, slapstick scampering, Chaplinesque waddling, and acrobatic clambering.
—Alex Ross, New Yorker, 14 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for slapstick
Cite this Entry
“Slapstick.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/slapstick. Accessed 6 May. 2025.
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