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
Exotic animals were not typically a feature of carnivals; circuses, yes, but not carnivals.
—
Literary Hub, 20 May 2026
In terms of performances and safety, the Triton Troupers Circus is like other circuses.
—Myrna Petlicki, Chicago Tribune, 2 Apr. 2026
As a teen-ager, Batten was the president of Animal Connection of Texas, an animal-rights nonprofit, and lobbied for restrictions on travelling circuses.
—Rachel Monroe, New Yorker, 26 Mar. 2026
Signs discussing the use of Blackface and Minstrel music in traveling circuses were submitted.
—Madison Dapcevich, Outside, 11 Mar. 2026
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
Literary Hub, 20 May 2026
In terms of performances and safety, the Triton Troupers Circus is like other circuses.
—Myrna Petlicki, Chicago Tribune, 2 Apr. 2026
As a teen-ager, Batten was the president of Animal Connection of Texas, an animal-rights nonprofit, and lobbied for restrictions on travelling circuses.
—Rachel Monroe, New Yorker, 26 Mar. 2026
Signs discussing the use of Blackface and Minstrel music in traveling circuses were submitted.
—Madison Dapcevich, Outside, 11 Mar. 2026
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for circuses
Noun
-
Fandom is no longer confined to stadiums.—
Jeff Fromm,
Forbes.com,
28 May 2026
-
Seating maps for most stadiums like the one in New Jersey indicated that Category 1 tickets — or the most expensive ones — cover large parts of the lower bowl of a stadium.—
Rafael Nam,
NPR,
28 May 2026
Noun
-
For adult pageants, the organization will send Lianet Aguilera to Miss Supranational and Juan Daniel Naranjo to Mister Supranational, both contests held in Poland.—
Sarah Moreno
May 31,
Miami Herald,
31 May 2026
-
As a teenager, Bajaria helped her immigrant family’s business, washing cars before winning a string of beauty pageants, including Miss India Worldwide in 1991.—
Preston Fore,
Fortune,
29 May 2026
Noun
-
On the road, ordinary gyms suddenly felt like coliseums.—
Dana O’Neil,
CNN Money,
12 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Culturally, populism spoke to a tension between the taste found in metropolitan centers and that of people in small towns across the country, pitting (for instance) classical opera and European masterwork exhibitions against folk traditions in art, dancing, and music.—
Katy Siegel,
Artforum,
2 June 2026
-
Thanks to demand for continued access, the museum created a book and webpage for the temporary exhibit — a practice that’s since been extended to other temporary exhibitions at the museum.—
Taylor O'Connor,
Kansas City Star,
2 June 2026
Noun
-
These exhibits have been integral to my work with students.—
Drew Pittock,
USA Today,
3 June 2026
-
For more information about films, special events, exhibits, and ticketing (single tickets and multiple-screening passes), visit the Tribeca Festival website.—
David Morgan,
CBS News,
3 June 2026
Noun
-
The new institution positions those achievements not as distant spectacles but as part of a local story, set within walking distance of more than 30 schools and kindergartens.—
Bridget Borgobello
May 30,
New Atlas,
30 May 2026
-
The combination is expected to draw photographers, tourists and locals onto Manhattan’s east-west streets for one of the city’s most iconic urban skywatching spectacles.—
Jamie Carter,
Forbes.com,
26 May 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
-
And 2026 is already off to a bright start, with a buzzy debut novel from Jennette McCurdy, plenty of celebrity memoirs and sci-fi spectaculars.—
Clare Mulroy,
USA Today,
28 Mar. 2026
-
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
Cite this Entry
“Circuses.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/circuses. Accessed 4 Jun. 2026.
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