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
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 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
-
Those went really well, so the next year, our whole tour was football stadiums.
-
The hydration breaks also affect the experience of fans watching at stadiums.
Noun
-
From competitive cheerleading and dance to beauty pageants, my mother put me in it all.
-
For adult pageants, the organization will send Lianet Aguilera to Miss Supranational and Juan Daniel Naranjo to Mister Supranational, both contests held in Poland.
Noun
-
On the road, ordinary gyms suddenly felt like coliseums.
Noun
-
The gallery, currently headed by former Royal Academy director of exhibitions, Kathleen Soriano, sits directly on the seafront in Hastings, overlooking the English Channel.
-
The week-long extravaganza is open to seasoned collectors, newbies, and everyone in between, offering up exhibitions, interactive workshops, and other events across the city center.
Noun
-
Meanwhile, companies and government agencies like YouTube, Harley-Davidson, Meta and NASA will also have exhibits at the fair.
-
With more than 50 exhibits in the show, it’s bound to be a far-out adventure.
Noun
-
An early furor over accepting valuable gifts, including designer spectacles and Taylor Swift concert tickets, was followed by a series of policy U-turns, especially clumsy attempts to cut welfare spending that stirred anger in Labour ranks.
-
Given the occasion and what was at stake, extra time — and in particular the last five minutes of it — must surely be considered among the most exciting spectacles sport has ever produced.
Noun
-
Then-Mayor John Lindsay had cut down on ticker-tape extravaganzas for financial and other reasons.
-
Production’s involvement in paying for cast extravaganzas is something Monique brought up in a confessional interview during season 10.
Noun
-
Pyrotechnic spectaculars thrill us with movement, surprise, poignant impermanence — and those qualities distinguish dance, as well.
-
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.
Cite this Entry
“Circuses.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/circuses. Accessed 25 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
