Merriam-Webster Logo
SINCE 1828
Menu
dictionary thesaurus

Thesaurus

circus

noun

Synonyms and Antonyms of circus

1 a large usually roofless building for sporting events with tiers of seats for spectators

  • the Roman circus is believed to have held 50,000 spectators in ancient times
Synonyms of circus

bowl, coliseum, colosseum, stadium
Words Related to circus

ballpark, park

gym, gymnasium, spa

arena, dome, hippodrome

2 a place of uproar or confusion

  • with seven kids in the house, it's a circus most of the time
Synonyms of circus

babel, bedlam, madhouse, scrum [British], three-ring circus
Words Related to circus

bustle, commotion, pandemonium, racket, ruckus, tumult, turmoil

brouhaha, clamor, clatter, din, hubbub, noise

chaos, confusion, disarrangement, disarray, disorder, havoc, hell, mess, muss, shambles
Near Antonyms of circus

arcadia, heaven, paradise, utopia

order, orderliness, organization

calm, lull, peace, respite

hush, quiet, silence, stillness

3 an elaborate, visually exciting show or event

  • the media circus that took place outside the courthouse every day of the murder trial
Synonyms of circus

extravaganza, pageant, raree-show, spectacle, spectacular
Words Related to circus

display, exhibit, exhibition, exposition

Learn More about circus

  1. Dictionary: Definition of circus Spanish Central: Translation of circus Nglish: Translation of circus for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of circus for Arabic speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about circus

Seen and Heard

What made you want to look up circus? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).

show comments hide comments

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Words at Play

Ask the Editors

Word Games