clown 1 of 2

noun

ˈklau̇n How to pronounce clown (audio)
Definition of clownnext
1
as in harlequin
a comically dressed performer (as at a circus) who entertains with playful tricks and ridiculous behavior a clown wearing big floppy shoes and a red wig

Synonyms & Similar Words

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2
as in bastard
a person whose behavior is offensive to others you should stay away from that clown

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

clown

2 of 2

verb

1
as in to masquerade

Related Words
2
as in to cut up

Related Words

Dissimilar 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 clown
Noun
Twisty the clown crept around, Rubber Man made a second appearance, and black dahlias festooned every table. — Lauren Sanchez, Vogue, 24 Sep. 2026 The play follows a rodeo clown named Dale, who dreams of being a cowboy but has his life upended when his anthropomorphized shadow, Dilly Dally, pushes him to take control of his destiny. — Kathryn Vanarendonk, Vulture, 21 Sep. 2026
Verb
Clowning Around Nails are a great excuse to show off your personality, and even perhaps clown a bit. — Daisy Maldonado, InStyle, 13 Aug. 2026 Eventually a local newspaper wrote a piece about me and my dad, the father/son clown duo. — Carly Tagen-Dye, PEOPLE, 23 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for clown
Recent Examples of Synonyms for clown
  1. harlequin
  2. jerk
  3. masquerade
  4. cut up
  5. buffoon
  6. dog
  7. mime
  8. horse around
Noun
  • The Cézanne is Arlequin, 1888-90, from a set of four harlequin paintings and the only one not held by a museum.
    — News Desk, Artforum, 30 Sep. 2026
  • Colorado potato beetles target potato plants, while harlequin beetles do damage to brassica family plants like kale, cauliflower, cabbage, and broccoli.
    — Alexandra Jones, The Spruce, 3 June 2026
Definition of harlequin
Noun
  • Bella’s childhood friend Angus (Jake Simmance), a corporate jerk, condescendingly probes Johnny about his career.
    — Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 2 Oct. 2026
  • There was significant excitement over the first-look footage revealing perhaps the world’s biggest movie star transforming himself to become a portly, gray-haired jerk in an offbeat feature focusing on climate change.
    — Ryan Gajewski, HollywoodReporter, 30 Sep. 2026
Definition of jerk
Verb
  • Official outlets can quote from posts on fake accounts whose creators masquerade as ordinary members of the public, making a fringe claim seem normal.
    — RENÉE DIRESTA, Foreign Affairs, 5 Oct. 2026
  • The action-drama is a road show that primarily films on location and often features rural settings, so the move to California provides new landscapes to masquerade as other locales.
    — Yvonne Villarreal, Los Angeles Times, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of masquerade
Verb
  • Cityside, guests can head to the thumping heart of Austin nightlife where the Live Music Capital of the World always has a new favorite act and dance floor to cut up waiting just around the corner.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Oct. 2026
  • In July, the Public Service Commission requested utilities submit plans to cut up to 45% of savings from the program.
    — Tom Nyein, Baltimore Sun, 3 Oct. 2026
Definition of cut up
Noun
  • This buffoon thinks Trump was way out of line, writes columnist Steve Lopez.
    — Jack Dolan, Los Angeles Times, 7 Oct. 2026
  • The biggest name in tech, Elon Musk, gets the most outlandish performance from Ike Barinholtz, who plays the richest man in the world as a cartoonish buffoon who is arguably the only person in Silicon Valley more impatient than Altman.
    — Chris Murphy, Vanity Fair, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of buffoon
Noun
  • The first product in the line is a dog shampoo in the brand’s Orange & Cedarwood scent, priced at 18 pounds.
    — Noor Lobad, Footwear News, 9 Oct. 2026
  • Mainly looking to drown out a snoring partner, a barking dog or an overactive brain?
    — Hanna Wickes, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 9 Oct. 2026
Definition of dog
Verb
  • By the time of the witch trial, the sacred building stood stripped of its roofing and outer masonry—a fleshless skeleton; its giant west window glassless, miming a stone scream.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 28 Sep. 2026
  • Simmons celebrated by miming urinating, game footage shared by ESPN College Football shows.
    — Bailey Richards, PEOPLE, 26 Sep. 2026
Definition of mime
Verb
  • Also, don’t get too out of control horsing around with friends in the water.
    — John Natale, Hartford Courant, 16 Aug. 2026
  • According to McGrady, the only royal who didn’t enjoy the time away in the Highlands was the late Princess Diana, who didn’t fit in with the family’s outdoorsy vibes and didn’t enjoy riding horses around the property due to a fall as a child.
    — Meredith Kile, PEOPLE, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of horse around

Phrases Containing clown

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cloverleafs
clown
clown (around)
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Cite this Entry

“Clown.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/clown. Accessed 13 Oct. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on clown

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about clown

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