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

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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
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 Vaccine-preventable illnesses, especially in epidemics, are tragedies like circus fires. — Dr. Marianne Parshley, Hartford Courant, 10 Aug. 2026 One of the benefits of bringing Lane Kiffin to LSU as head coach has already paid off from a marketing standpoint, thanks to the circus-like atmosphere that followed him from Ole Miss to Baton Rouge towards the end of last season. — Trey Wallace Outkick, FOXNews.com, 5 Aug. 2026 Sarasota’s ties to the circus community are also a draw for visitors. — Melissa Locker, Southern Living, 3 Aug. 2026 America’s iconic third spaces—bars, restaurants, official and de facto fan zones—have been a circus of joy, noise and genuine human connection. — Leo MacLehose, Sportico.com, 31 July 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
  • Former Miss North Carolina USA Brittany Boltinhouse is breaking her silence about losing her title weeks after winning the state pageant.
    — Anthony Robledo, USA Today, 8 Aug. 2026
  • The victim, identified by relatives as Kiara Darvonne Bowling, is in her early 30s and works as an event planner and competes in pageants.
    — Da Lin, CBS News, 8 Aug. 2026
Definition of pageant
Noun
  • Players also found the flight of the ball was vastly different than in regular stadiums, where tall concrete bleachers knock down the wind.
    — Dan Hayes, New York Times, 14 Aug. 2026
  • Setting a new standard This June, Penn State football players lined the on-campus baseball stadium to greet athletes competing in the Pennsylvania Special Olympics.
    — Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of stadium
Noun
  • Against this bedlam, Rhaenyra tries to fashion herself a real queen.
    — Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 6 July 2026
  • The scene around me was one of utter bedlam, with stadium officials even joining in the celebrations.
    — Ben Church, CNN Money, 25 June 2026
Definition of bedlam
Noun
  • Created by Professor Antonio Faeti, an author and educator, the museum features exhibits on the role of shoes in fairy tales, travelers in search of discoveries, children who risk getting lost in the forest and more.
    — Irene S. Levine, Forbes.com, 15 Aug. 2026
  • This is an exhibit that will feel different every time it is visited.
    — Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 15 Aug. 2026
Definition of exhibit
Noun
  • Four years earlier, a leaner and healthier Elvis played a much better concert at this same coliseum.
    — Andy Greene, Rolling Stone, 1 Aug. 2026
  • The move to North Main Street brought more Stockyards visitors and cowboys headed to Billy Bob’s Texas or the coliseum rodeos.
    — Bud Kennedy, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 4 July 2026
Definition of coliseum
Noun
  • This week, Cuba commemorated Castro with events including the International Book Fair, art exhibitions, concerts and gatherings of delegates from leftist organizations across the continent.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 13 Aug. 2026
  • If approved, the legislation would extend exemptions to class cars built between 1976 and 1985 that are used primarily for exhibition purposes and have limited use on public roadways.
    — Darrielle Fair, CBS News, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of exhibition
Noun
  • Built into a natural ravine, the stadium’s site was used for ancient Greek athletic contests and later Roman spectacles before falling into centuries of disuse.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 16 Aug. 2026
  • In Navarrette’s casting as Rogue, there was an implicit acknowledgement of the kind of shifts in consumer sentiment Marvel may be worrying about — away from IP-reliant spectacle towards something more homegrown and hand-spun.
    — Chris Lee, Vulture, 16 Aug. 2026
Definition of spectacle

Phrases Containing circus

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circumvents
circus
circuses
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Cite this Entry

“Circus.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/circus. Accessed 19 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on circus

Nglish: Translation of circus for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about circus

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