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
Literary Hub, 12 Dec. 2025
Takahashi’s story delights in throwing more and more wrenches in the works with a growing cast of chaotic supporting characters (like the vicious Shampoo and the blowhard Tatewaki Kuno), and the anime adapts their antics as pastel-toned slapstick.
—Kambole Campbell, Vulture, 9 Dec. 2025
However, during the Venice Film Festival there were critics that said that this film really gifted me a great slapstick performance, and there were some comparisons to Charlie Chaplin as well.
—Damon Wise, Deadline, 8 Dec. 2025
Instead, the movie squanders Knight’s talent for delivery and hands him an awkward slapstick bit that feels like work just to watch.
—Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 5 Dec. 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 16 Dec. 2025.
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