1
as in madhouse
a place of uproar or confusion
with seven kids in the house, it's a circus most of the time
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in pageant
an elaborate, visually exciting show or event
the media circus that took place outside the courthouse every day of the murder trial
Synonyms & Similar Words
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 circus
Five of the six were playing away from home, which must be taken into account, as must the circus that is Tottenham Hotspur Football Club.
—
Tim Spiers, New York Times, 12 Mar. 2026
Signs discussing the use of Blackface and Minstrel music in traveling circuses were submitted.
—Madison Dapcevich, Outside, 11 Mar. 2026
Christopher Kosakowski, United States, 2025 A circus clown celebrating his birthday alone receives a mysterious gift box harboring an antique zoetrope that spins his world into mayhem.
—Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 11 Mar. 2026
Based on Sara Gruen’s 2006 novel, this musical about the dramatic life of a traveling circus performer during the Great Depression premiered on Broadway to mixed reviews in 2024 and closed after 300 performances.
—Jessica Gelt, Los Angeles Times, 6 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for circus
Tim Spiers, New York Times, 12 Mar. 2026
Signs discussing the use of Blackface and Minstrel music in traveling circuses were submitted.
—Madison Dapcevich, Outside, 11 Mar. 2026
Christopher Kosakowski, United States, 2025 A circus clown celebrating his birthday alone receives a mysterious gift box harboring an antique zoetrope that spins his world into mayhem.
—Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 11 Mar. 2026
Based on Sara Gruen’s 2006 novel, this musical about the dramatic life of a traveling circus performer during the Great Depression premiered on Broadway to mixed reviews in 2024 and closed after 300 performances.
—Jessica Gelt, Los Angeles Times, 6 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for circus
Recent Examples of Synonyms for circus
Noun
-
Given her reputation and TikTok-famous opener Ella Langley, the badge line was a madhouse.—
Deborah Sengupta Stith,
Austin American Statesman,
17 Mar. 2026
-
In the fourth quarter, Soldier Field was an absolute madhouse with 60,000-plus waving towels, chewing fingernails, frothing at the mouth and … grating cheese?—
Jon Greenberg,
New York Times,
11 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
In the days after the assassination, TPUSA’s board appointed Erika Kirk — the now-widow, previously known more for her pageant background than any political leadership role — to take over as CEO, a move described as consistent with her late husband’s wishes.—
Kevin Dolak,
HollywoodReporter,
5 Mar. 2026
-
The 75th Miss Universe pageant takes place in Puerto Rico in November.—
Brian Niemietz,
New York Daily News,
4 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Red, white and blue and Venezuela’s yellow, blue and red filled the stadium -- as did the political overtones the WBC could not ignore.—
Greg Cote
Updated March 17,
Miami Herald,
18 Mar. 2026
-
Wilmette homes sit just to the north of the stadium campus.—
Claire Murphy,
Chicago Tribune,
18 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Bogle is able to cross into the box, where the two strikers are again creating bedlam for the centre-backs.—
Beren Cross,
New York Times,
20 Mar. 2026
-
Another centered on a teenage girl (Chloë Sevigny doppelgänger Emma Halleen), whose insecurities blind her to a life that is, on its surface, pretty good, finds a palpable sadness within the bedlam of the show.—
Daniel Fienberg,
HollywoodReporter,
21 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Installations and special exhibits like a holiday light show further the wow factor.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
24 Mar. 2026
-
Upcoming collaboration with the Nelson Atkins Otero is also working on a collaboration with the Nelson Atkins Museum of Art for its new art exhibit featuring Czech artist Alphonse Mucha and the spirit of art nouveau.—
Noelle Alviz-Gransee
Updated March 23,
Kansas City Star,
23 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
On the road, ordinary gyms suddenly felt like coliseums.—
Dana O’Neil,
CNN Money,
12 Mar. 2026
-
But the 70-year-old coliseum and auditorium are operating on outdated mechanical systems that are increasingly unreliable, according to the tourism authority.—
Charlotte Observer,
Charlotte Observer,
5 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The exhibition is only a first glimpse of the much larger collection that will soon be on view in the new museum in Jerusalem.—
Sarah Kozlowski,
Dallas Morning News,
21 Mar. 2026
-
That meticulous trompe-l’oeil effect is just one of countless tricks that Gnoli had up his sleeve, as evidenced in the survey at Lévy Gorvy Dayan—the largest American exhibition of Gnoli’s œuvre since 1969.—
Stephanie Sporn,
Vogue,
21 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Rather than treating military power as spectacle, this category focuses on function.—
Interesting Engineering,
Interesting Engineering,
23 Mar. 2026
-
The comments section became its own spectacle.—
Ryan Brennan,
Miami Herald,
23 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Circus.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/circus. Accessed 25 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
