circus

noun

ˈsər-kəs How to pronounce circus (audio)
Definition of circusnext
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
3
as in stadium
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 & 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 Osinski’s collection of Polish circus posters similarly ties the interiors to his family history. — Amira Hashish, Architectural Digest, 7 Oct. 2026 Compared with the political circus in Washington and the malaise in the rest of America, such surface-level manifestations of China’s wealth and power often lead to sweeping conclusions about relative national trajectories. — Carl Minzner, Foreign Affairs, 5 Oct. 2026 But in reality, there has only been one good season at the Boulder circus. — Trey Wallace Outkick, FOXNews.com, 5 Oct. 2026 The gasoline shortage has become such a feature of daily life that even clowns at Moscow’s circus have cracked jokes about it. — Ivan Nechepurenko, New York Times, 4 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for circus
Recent Examples of Synonyms for circus
  1. madhouse
  2. pageant
  3. stadium
  4. bedlam
  5. exhibit
  6. coliseum
  7. exhibition
  8. spectacle
Noun
  • Whereas this evening in the Spanish Gothic madhouse of the United Theater, most every song from Melanie’s Hadean pageant is received with near word-perfect communalism.
    — Matt Thompson, SPIN, 13 July 2026
  • Headphones are often my saving grace in this madhouse.
    — Juhi Wadia, PC Magazine, 17 Apr. 2026
Definition of madhouse
Noun
  • They’re then forced to compete in a beauty pageant, wearing lingerie and swimsuits, which Galán considers to be the ultimate motivator.
    — Jolene Edgar, Allure, 2 Oct. 2026
  • Desperate to regain her dominance while dazzling pageant recruiter Eloise Amponsah (Tony Award winner Patina Miller), who was Miss Ghana 1966, Paulina launches a campaign to crush Ericka’s spirit and dash her chances in the spotlight.
    — Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 29 Sep. 2026
Definition of pageant
Noun
  • After co-headlining with Charli xcx at the peak of Brat Summer, Sivan was struck by his post-show emotional crash, when the roar of stadiums gave way to the quiet of being totally on his own.
    — Harry Tafoya, Pitchfork, 14 Oct. 2026
  • When Colorado plays at home in Boulder, the team typically stays at a nearby hotel in the Broomfield area, just a few miles from the stadium.
    — Trey Wallace OutKick, FOXNews.com, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of stadium
Noun
  • There wasn’t quite as much Phillies bedlam in Georgia on Wednesday.
    — Jayson Stark, New York Times, 1 Oct. 2026
  • But this is preposterous, this is insanity, this is the very essence of bedlam.
    — J. B. MacKinnon, Harpers Magazine, 22 Sep. 2026
Definition of bedlam
Noun
  • This becomes clear when, moving on from ephemera, the exhibit turns cerebral.
    — J. Hoberman, ARTnews.com, 9 Oct. 2026
  • Brands will be able to see and feel the fabric in person at Avalo’s exhibit at the Kingpins Show in Amsterdam, an invite-only event for the denim industry this October 14 and 15.
    — Roy Stephen Canivel, Footwear News, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of exhibit
Noun
  • The center will remove 2,000 spaces from its lot that is frequently used for coliseum events.
    — Nick Sullivan, Charlotte Observer, 5 Oct. 2026
  • On the afternoon of commencement, in May, about a thousand people filed into the United Supermarkets Arena, the basketball coliseum where Texas Tech confers its law degrees.
    — Benjamin Wofford, New Yorker, 21 Sep. 2026
Definition of coliseum
Noun
  • Adebayo and most of the Heat’s rotation regulars were held out of Saturday’s exhibition against the Timberwolves before Adebayo sat out Wednesday’s preseason game due to his groin ailment.
    — Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 15 Oct. 2026
  • The exhibition layout, conceived by French designer Pascal Rodriguez, unfolds across four successive spaces, separated by partition walls pierced by large circular openings at their centers.
    — Sarah Belmont for ArtNews, Robb Report, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of exhibition
Noun
  • Disney’s Jon Wax says The Remarried Empress, the lavish Korean costume drama set to make its world premiere in Busan on Friday, has substance to match its spectacle.
    — Mathew Scott, HollywoodReporter, 9 Oct. 2026
  • For a dose of Balinese culture, Uluwatu Temple—one of the island’s most iconic for its clifftop architecture, sunset vistas and nightly kecak fire dance spectacle—is some 30-45 minutes by car.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 9 Oct. 2026
Definition of spectacle

Phrases Containing circus

Browse Nearby Words

circumvents
circus
circuses
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Circus.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/circus. Accessed 17 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on circus

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about circus

Love words? Need even more definitions?

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

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of syncretic

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

The Exceptions of '-s' and '-es' Plurals

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

16 Food Words Recently Added to the Dictionary

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

7 Words for Bad Endings and Rough Situations

The Words of the Week - Oct. 16
See More

Popular

See More

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

16 Food Words Recently Added to the Dictionary

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
artwork of illustrated limes with the text limes and smile with an arrow connecting the two words
Quiz: Spot the Anagram! Scramble these words to find new words with the e...
See All