as in clown
a comically dressed performer (as at a circus) who entertains with playful tricks and ridiculous behavior
the children at the birthday party giggled at the buffoon's silly tricks
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of buffoon
Capaldi himself was a phenomenal Doctor, bringing that trademark blend of grizzled warrior and cosmic buffoon, but his episodes were a bit hit-and-miss.
—
Richard Edwards, Space.com, 29 May 2025
Dylan Maxwell could easily have been an unsympathetic buffoon, but there’s a distinct love for (and in most cases, an appreciation of) the people behind the teen archetypes on display.
—Wilson Chapman, IndieWire, 20 May 2025
Problematic to be sure, but also a very in-character move for an ignorant buffoon.
—Ben Rosenstock, Time, 6 May 2025
Read: Comedy’s most erudite buffoon Mulaney has many advantages at Netflix that his conventional-television peers don’t, however.
—David Sims, The Atlantic, 7 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for buffoon
Richard Edwards, Space.com, 29 May 2025
Dylan Maxwell could easily have been an unsympathetic buffoon, but there’s a distinct love for (and in most cases, an appreciation of) the people behind the teen archetypes on display.
—Wilson Chapman, IndieWire, 20 May 2025
Problematic to be sure, but also a very in-character move for an ignorant buffoon.
—Ben Rosenstock, Time, 6 May 2025
Read: Comedy’s most erudite buffoon Mulaney has many advantages at Netflix that his conventional-television peers don’t, however.
—David Sims, The Atlantic, 7 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for buffoon
Recent Examples of Synonyms for buffoon
clown
Noun
-
More than a decade later, the series continues to reimagine American histories and channel primal fears — from clowns and cults, to witches and ghosts — with each installment cloaked in social commentary and camp.—
James Mercadante,
Entertainment Weekly,
1 Oct. 2025
-
But that won't ease the fears of anyone who categorizes clowns as monsters.—
Marci Robin,
Allure,
1 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Buffoon.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/buffoon. Accessed 9 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share