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
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
In the roaring 1920s, barnstorming and flying circuses featuring wing walkers and aerial acrobatics soared in popularity.
—Daniel Cote, Robb Report, 17 Oct. 2025
One of her obituaries celebrated the life of a Bureau of Reclamation photographer who transitioned from a man to a woman and built miniature circuses.
—Susan Greene, Denver Post, 23 Sep. 2025
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
In the roaring 1920s, barnstorming and flying circuses featuring wing walkers and aerial acrobatics soared in popularity.
—Daniel Cote, Robb Report, 17 Oct. 2025
One of her obituaries celebrated the life of a Bureau of Reclamation photographer who transitioned from a man to a woman and built miniature circuses.
—Susan Greene, Denver Post, 23 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for circuses
Noun
-
By visiting a president who has used his power to harm the most vulnerable, the team would be turning its back on the very people who fill the stadiums, wear the jerseys, and give this team its heart.—
Ryan Morik,
FOXNews.com,
5 Nov. 2025
-
The company, which now has its products in football stadiums (including for William's favorite's Aston Villa) and at Coldplay gigs last summer, has replaced 30 million single-use plastics to date.—
Simon Perry,
PEOPLE,
5 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
The island-wide celebration includes concerts, parades, cultural activities, and pageants, while numerous fairs celebrate the best in local art and culture.—
Carley Rojas Avila,
Travel + Leisure,
4 Jan. 2026
-
One of the most beloved holiday specials ever made doesn’t start with costumed pageants, joyful carols or snowmen come to life but with a self-aware declaration of seasonal depression.—
Abigail Rosenthal,
Mercury News,
24 Dec. 2025
Noun
-
After noticing that many open exhibitions in the area seemed focused more broadly on Southern California, the museum’s leadership saw an opportunity to hone in on Orange County artists exclusively.—
Mona Darwish,
Oc Register,
8 Jan. 2026
-
Though moving the museum’s permanent collection could reduce operating costs from about €8 million to €5 million, M HKA would then have pay to borrow works or buy in exhibitions to attract visitors.—
News Desk,
Artforum,
8 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
There will be tremendous opportunities for students to create exhibits, develop programming and operate a museum.—
Dorothy Jenkins Fields,
Miami Herald,
9 Jan. 2026
-
Screenings of silent films, hosted by the Hollywood Heritage’s Silent Society and often accompanied by live music, play here amid a changing palette of special exhibits, curated from the museum’s collection and the contributions of private collectors.—
Culture Critic,
Los Angeles Times,
9 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
After all, the films that benefit the most from PLF ticket sales have been Hollywood's biggest releases, as audiences want to see explosive action movies and dazzling spectacles in the most state-of-the-art locations.—
Sarah Whitten,
CNBC,
9 Jan. 2026
-
Political events and news programming ran off with 16 of the top spots in 2024, but in the absence of a collar-grabbing quadrennial circus, only three Beltway spectacles carved out space on this year’s chart.—
Anthony Crupi,
Sportico.com,
6 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
The venue is suited for musical performances from string quartets and small orchestras to vocal extravaganzas.—
News Release,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
9 Nov. 2025
-
His Christmas Eve shows were extravaganzas that involved holiday tunes and sound clips.—
Tom Tapp,
Deadline,
29 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
These itinerant lecturers performed experiments and spectaculars in London coffeehouses and aristocratic salons, demonstrating Newtonian physics.—
Beth DuFault,
The Conversation,
15 Dec. 2025
-
The ring formed was from the pyrotechnics resort employees use during Disneyland’s nighttime spectaculars.—
Madison E. Goldberg,
PEOPLE,
14 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Circuses.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/circuses. Accessed 11 Jan. 2026.
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