CIRCUSES Synonyms: 64 Similar and Opposite Words

circuses

noun

plural of circus

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

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

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 By now, not even third-rate circuses would hire me, much less an outfit like Hep Spyder’s, the World’s Famous Bushwick Circus. — Ingrid Vasquez, PEOPLE, 27 Aug. 2026 The best World Cup base camps have tended to be quiet ones, with squads that hole up in small towns and bond away from the spotlight routinely outlasting teams stationed amid bigger circuses. — Sam Leveridge, Forbes.com, 17 July 2026 Indeed, some of our oligarchs actually own the circuses. — Adam Gopnik, New Yorker, 21 June 2026 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 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

Recent Examples of Synonyms for circuses

Noun

Macklemore was scheduled to open for Sheeran at seven more stadiums in the US.

— Zoe Sottile, CNN Money, 15 Sep. 2026
Now, Styles is adding 25 stops for 2027 at 12 different stadiums.

— Trisha Easto, USA Today, 15 Sep. 2026

Definition of stadiums

Noun

Sisic was crowned Miss Austria in 2024, and continued to hold the title as there were no further pageants after that, the outlets reported.

— Becca Longmire, PEOPLE, 8 Sep. 2026
The franchise grew out of Wong, Shih and Yin’s own experiences competing in and observing Asian beauty pageants and talent contests held across North America and Asia.

— Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 3 Sep. 2026

Definition of pageants

Noun

The historic home, a charming 1925 property, is open to visitors and houses rotating exhibitions.

— Lilah Ramzi, Vogue, 4 Sep. 2026
At Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows Corona Park, there are also concerts, exhibitions, and practices open to visitors.

— Aaron Short, Curbed, 3 Sep. 2026

Definition of exhibitions

Noun

Annotated divorce papers blown up and mounted, interactive exhibits detailing how your mom’s last round of chemo didn’t take, souvenir T-shirts emblazoned with your best friend’s last words before the car crash.

— Jill Lepore, New Yorker, 6 Sep. 2026
The open-plan, curvilinear design means the galleries are not fully divided, reinforcing the all-encompassing nature of the collection, though altogether the vast array of exhibits sometimes struggle for cohesiveness.

— Jacqui Palumbo, CNN Money, 5 Sep. 2026

Definition of exhibits

Noun

The one-off doc uses AI to tell the story of how Rome hosted wild spectacles for its citizens, featuring a range of exotic and dangerous wild animals.

— Stewart Clarke, Deadline, 3 Sep. 2026
The incident occurred days before Google announced its multi-year partnership with Beast Industries, a company founded by YouTube influencer Jimmy Donaldson, also known as his media personality MrBeast, who produces viral spectacles online.

— Karen Garcia, Los Angeles Times, 3 Sep. 2026

Definition of spectacles

Noun

Those who visit annually or several times during the year are deeply passionate about the live shows, character meet-and-greets, holiday food specials, seasonal festivals and parades and nighttime spectaculars that these parks provide.

— Sarah Whitten, CNBC, 17 Aug. 2026
Sure, the city has fantastic architecture, world-class restaurants, Broadway spectaculars, and those oh-so-gorgeous hotels.

— Stacey Leasca, Travel + Leisure, 12 Aug. 2026

Definition of spectaculars

Browse Nearby Words

circus

circuses

cirque

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“Circuses.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/circuses. Accessed 18 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of circuses

noun

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