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
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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
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Recent Examples of circus
This article is part of our Fast Lane Living series, examining the inner workings (practical and luxurious) of Formula One’s traveling circus.
—
Patrick Iversen, New York Times, 25 Oct. 2025
For a sultry spin on circus fashion, Lily-Rose Depp appeared at the V Magazine Halloween Party in 2018 dressed as a ringmaster.
—Catherine Santino, PEOPLE, 25 Oct. 2025
Nightfall at Old Tucson For 2025, Nightfall at Old Tucson is going to the circus with Dabney the Clown and his band of evil brethren who will stop at nothing to inflict as much fear as possible.
—Meredith G. White, AZCentral.com, 23 Oct. 2025
The circus begins another national tour run in January 2026.
—Jordan Valinsky, CNN Money, 21 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for circus
Patrick Iversen, New York Times, 25 Oct. 2025
For a sultry spin on circus fashion, Lily-Rose Depp appeared at the V Magazine Halloween Party in 2018 dressed as a ringmaster.
—Catherine Santino, PEOPLE, 25 Oct. 2025
Nightfall at Old Tucson For 2025, Nightfall at Old Tucson is going to the circus with Dabney the Clown and his band of evil brethren who will stop at nothing to inflict as much fear as possible.
—Meredith G. White, AZCentral.com, 23 Oct. 2025
The circus begins another national tour run in January 2026.
—Jordan Valinsky, CNN Money, 21 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for circus
Recent Examples of Synonyms for circus
Noun
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Instead of the orgiastic madhouse that fans of Monster and American Horror Story have grown accustomed to, Devil in Disguise is a somber affair, as aesthetically chilly as a December in Des Plaines, Illinois.—
Daniel Fienberg,
HollywoodReporter,
15 Oct. 2025
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Hyeseong Kim, getting his first taste of the postseason in a madhouse game, scampered home from third, joining the mass of bodies in pure elation while Kerkering remained frozen, hands on his knees.—
Fabian Ardaya,
New York Times,
10 Oct. 2025
Noun
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The first Miss Ramona pageant was held in 1973.—
Regina Elling,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
4 Nov. 2025
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The Miss Universe pageant is set to take place on November 21 in Thailand.—
Megan Cartwright,
MSNBC Newsweek,
4 Nov. 2025
Noun
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In the 53rd minute, Aaronson and Max Kilman were contesting the ball in the north-east corner of the stadium.—
Beren Cross,
New York Times,
25 Oct. 2025
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Numerous teams, including the NFL’s Arizona Cardinals, MLB’s Arizona Diamondbacks and the NBA’s Washington Wizards, have signed deals to put physical betting shops inside their stadiums and arenas, Matheson noted.—
Chris Isidore,
CNN Money,
25 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Just as much bedlam erupted here at Weird and Wild World HQ.—
Jayson Stark,
New York Times,
22 Aug. 2025
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Their journey to the Comiskey concert was typical of the bedlam that accompanied their performances.—
Michael Peregrine,
Chicago Tribune,
20 Aug. 2025
Noun
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The benefit will feature live entertainment, art activations, fine wine and cuisine, and an auction to support NUMU’s exhibits, educational programming and community work.—
Nollyanne Delacruz,
Mercury News,
29 Oct. 2025
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Leaning on Park’s knack for storytelling, the exhibit includes six installations inspired by Korean folklore and the obangsaek (the traditional Korean color spectrum) of blue, red, yellow, white, and black.—
Rachel Chang,
Travel + Leisure,
29 Oct. 2025
Noun
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From the field, the Sooners acknowledged their travel party in the coliseum’s highest heights.—
David Ubben,
New York Times,
2 Nov. 2025
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The row of homes in the Queen Anne style had emerged in an era when architects were starting to be seen as artists and were lauded for putting designs together like collagists, plucking chimneys from a medieval village and arches from a Roman coliseum.—
Adriane Quinlan,
Curbed,
7 Oct. 2025
Noun
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In 2018, the Morgan Library & Museum was mounting a major Hujar exhibition, prompting Rosenkrantz to donate her transcript to the institution, which holds his collections.—
Michael Schulman,
New Yorker,
3 Nov. 2025
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An exhibition game between Argentina and Puerto Rico, scheduled for October 13 at Soldier Field, was moved to Inter Miami’s Chase Stadium in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.—
Adam Crafton,
New York Times,
3 Nov. 2025
Noun
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This rare spectacle happens only during the breeding season, between late May and late June.—
AFAR Media,
AFAR Media,
30 Oct. 2025
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Robertson’s neighborhood in North Carolina looks forward to his epic display every year with scores of visitors stopping by every day all month long to soak in the skeleton spectacle.—
Krista Bo Polanco,
CNN Money,
30 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Circus.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/circus. Accessed 5 Nov. 2025.
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