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
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Recent Examples of buffoon
Once infused with the diabolical spirit, the guide is transformed into a buffoon, complete with a harlequin outfit—a mad joker and a dancing fool who does a little jig to the sound of a jazz trio.
—
Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 11 Mar. 2025
Washington has become the court of Nero: an incendiary emperor, submissive courtiers, and a buffoon on ketamine tasked with purging the civil service.
—Claude Malhuret, The Atlantic, 8 Mar. 2025
Adam Silver, once the model for league commissioners, is suddenly a buffoon?
—Greg Cote, Miami Herald, 19 Feb. 2025
The character with which I have been identified, that of the raucous buffoon, is merely a studied portrayal.
—Bill Wyman, Vulture, 28 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for buffoon
Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 11 Mar. 2025
Washington has become the court of Nero: an incendiary emperor, submissive courtiers, and a buffoon on ketamine tasked with purging the civil service.
—Claude Malhuret, The Atlantic, 8 Mar. 2025
Adam Silver, once the model for league commissioners, is suddenly a buffoon?
—Greg Cote, Miami Herald, 19 Feb. 2025
The character with which I have been identified, that of the raucous buffoon, is merely a studied portrayal.
—Bill Wyman, Vulture, 28 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for buffoon
Recent Examples of Synonyms for buffoon
clown
Noun
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Also, this was not a good week for billionaires as a socialist Muslim won a long-shot victory in the NYC Democratic primary, partly on the promise to raise taxes among the highest income earners, and Amazon founder Jeff Bezos starred in a clown show wedding in Venice.—
Paul Bedard,
The Washington Examiner,
28 June 2025
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Ayanna Pressley, another blow-in-drifter (from Chicago), pole vaulted from the City Council clown show to the U.S. House.—
Howie Carr,
Boston Herald,
25 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Buffoon.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/buffoon. Accessed 4 Jul. 2025.
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