1
as in stadiums
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
Relevance
2
as in madhouses
a place of uproar or confusion
with seven kids in the house, it's a circus most of the time
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in pageants
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 circuses
The stark reality Stark toured with circuses until the late 1940s, when she was hired by Jungleland, a zoo located outside of Los Angeles.
—
Alessandro Meregaglia, The Conversation, 3 Mar. 2026
The idea of a 10% rate cap has all the seriousness of bread-and-circuses governance.
—Business Columnist, Los Angeles Times, 14 Jan. 2026
Coaches don’t like media circuses, but Jones can’t wean himself off the attention.
—Tom Krasovic, San Diego Union-Tribune, 21 Dec. 2025
Other nominees included the Swiss yodelling, the handloom weaving technique used to make Bangladesh’s Tangail sarees, and Chile’s family circuses.
—Paolo Santalucia, Fortune, 15 Dec. 2025
Tom Parker, who had recently quit the circuses and carnivals, was living in Tampa doing small independent promotions.
—Andy Greene, Rolling Stone, 21 Nov. 2025
Some, such as Ignat Trofimov and Ivan Kalugin, made these dangerous captures a family business; their dynasties would operate for decades, satisfying demand from the zoos and circuses of the world eager for roaring tigers to entertain paying guests.
—Literary Hub, 14 Nov. 2025
The city bans most wild species altogether, except in places like zoos, circuses, or educational facilities.
—Quinn Clark, jsonline.com, 30 Oct. 2025
Advertisement And yet, at the turn of the 20th century, family-friendly circuses couldn’t compete with new movie houses and the spectacle of the feature film.
—Time, 30 Oct. 2025
Alessandro Meregaglia, The Conversation, 3 Mar. 2026
The idea of a 10% rate cap has all the seriousness of bread-and-circuses governance.
—Business Columnist, Los Angeles Times, 14 Jan. 2026
Coaches don’t like media circuses, but Jones can’t wean himself off the attention.
—Tom Krasovic, San Diego Union-Tribune, 21 Dec. 2025
Other nominees included the Swiss yodelling, the handloom weaving technique used to make Bangladesh’s Tangail sarees, and Chile’s family circuses.
—Paolo Santalucia, Fortune, 15 Dec. 2025
Tom Parker, who had recently quit the circuses and carnivals, was living in Tampa doing small independent promotions.
—Andy Greene, Rolling Stone, 21 Nov. 2025
Some, such as Ignat Trofimov and Ivan Kalugin, made these dangerous captures a family business; their dynasties would operate for decades, satisfying demand from the zoos and circuses of the world eager for roaring tigers to entertain paying guests.
—Literary Hub, 14 Nov. 2025
The city bans most wild species altogether, except in places like zoos, circuses, or educational facilities.
—Quinn Clark, jsonline.com, 30 Oct. 2025
Advertisement And yet, at the turn of the 20th century, family-friendly circuses couldn’t compete with new movie houses and the spectacle of the feature film.
—Time, 30 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for circuses
Noun
-
Koy and Iglesias are now part of a small fraternity of comics, including Kevin Hart, Dane Cook, Bill Burr and Larry the Cable Guy, who’ve sold out stadiums across the country.—
Deputy Entertainment,
Los Angeles Times,
5 Mar. 2026
-
The vote wasn’t strictly partisan, with the opposition comprised of fiscally conservative Republicans and Democrats opposed to subsidizing stadiums.—
Jack Harvel,
Kansas City Star,
5 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Sewing my costumes, making my evening gowns for pageants.—
Michael Schneider,
Variety,
26 Feb. 2026
-
The state and national pageants showcase the talents, brains and looks of the woman synonymous with American beauty.—
Arizona Republic,
AZCentral.com,
4 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Nearby, the Cornish Bank hosts music festivals, open-mic nights, film screenings, art exhibitions, and folk-music sessions.—
Issy von Simson,
Travel + Leisure,
10 Mar. 2026
-
The quality and appeal of the AGO’s exhibitions, the significant growth of the collection, and his deep commitment to scholarship, all stand as hallmarks of his successful tenure, said AGO director Stephan Jost in a statement.—
News Desk,
Artforum,
9 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Also included for review were exhibits at the Annaberg Sugar Plantation, an 18th-century colonial site active during the Atlantic slave trade.—
Madison Dapcevich,
Outside,
11 Mar. 2026
-
Museums and historic sites will mark the anniversary of the Declaration of Independence with exhibits, live music, immersive events and massive bison.—
Fritz Hahn,
Washington Post,
11 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
With his leading-man looks nerded down with spectacles, science T-shirts and a planet Earth hacky sack, Gosling portrays Grace as a teacher way out of his element amid hardcore NASA types.—
Brian Truitt,
USA Today,
10 Mar. 2026
-
Ravi stands some feet away, in a space all to himself, looking serious in his spectacles.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
9 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Production’s involvement in paying for cast extravaganzas is something Monique brought up in a confessional interview during season 10.—
McKinley Franklin,
HollywoodReporter,
1 Mar. 2026
-
Every year, these flashy performances — from classic movie-musical extravaganzas to Disney earworms to Bond themes to power ballads — are the highlight of an already ridiculously flashy ceremony.—
Rebecca Alter,
Vulture,
31 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Each December, cities around Europe transform into twinkling holiday spectaculars, hosting Christmas markets and general cheer, where the hot cocoa flows like a river.—
Stacey Leasca,
Travel + Leisure,
10 Jan. 2026
-
These itinerant lecturers performed experiments and spectaculars in London coffeehouses and aristocratic salons, demonstrating Newtonian physics.—
Beth DuFault,
The Conversation,
15 Dec. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Circuses.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/circuses. Accessed 12 Mar. 2026.
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