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

Relevance
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
When asked about his most Mary-like quality, Yang pointed to the duality of the clown. — Alex Jhamb Burns, Vogue, 13 Oct. 2026 The gasoline shortage has become such a feature of daily life that even clowns at Moscow’s circus have cracked jokes about it. — Ivan Nechepurenko, New York Times, 4 Oct. 2026
Verb
Steps away, other Israeli activists fashion animals out of balloons, while a couple in garish wigs and clown makeup wildly wave their arms in a routine that prompts roars of laughter. — Dina Kraft, Christian Science Monitor, 19 Aug. 2026 Clowning Around Nails are a great excuse to show off your personality, and even perhaps clown a bit. — Daisy Maldonado, InStyle, 13 Aug. 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
  • Warren, a tenor, arrived in a pink harlequin outfit, with knee socks and buckled shoes.
    — Sarah Larson, New Yorker, 19 Oct. 2026
  • How to Make a Harlequin Pastry Pattern For the harlequin pattern on this citrusy pie’s top crust, prep and roll out pastry.
    — Katlyn Moncada, Better Homes & Gardens, 10 Oct. 2026
Definition of harlequin
Noun
  • That roller coaster of flavor and tenderness comes from dry-aging the steaks for 30 to 40 days in rum, and a marinade that involves both jerk spice and Onwuachi’s mother’s Creole green seasoning, a paste of herbs, aromatics and peppers.
    — Jenn Harris, Los Angeles Times, 29 Oct. 2026
  • This book includes nothing from Elain’s perspective; hopefully, the next book will prioritize her and possibly offer some magical explanation for why the rest of the Night Court has been such jerks to one another in this novel.
    — Kathryn VanArendonk, Vulture, 28 Oct. 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
  • Californios’ reign began to vanish even before the discovery of gold, when droughts and floods wiped out their easygoing livelihoods, and their lands were cut up, sold off, and their land grants swept aside by the new state.
    — Patt Morrison, Los Angeles Times, 30 Oct. 2026
  • The first plan, which would have cut up to 18 English learner teachers and affected at least two dozen schools, drew backlash.
    — Beret Leone, CBS News, 28 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
  • After contracting the plague, he was banished to a cave, where a dog brought him bread and healed his wounds by licking them.
    — Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 30 Oct. 2026
  • Anyone seeking to adopt a dog or cat can fill out the adoption form on their website.
    — Stephen Underwood, Hartford Courant, 30 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

Browse Nearby Words

cloverleafs
clown
clown (around)
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Clown.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/clown. Accessed 2 Nov. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on clown

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about clown

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of satiate

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Pwn, Skibidi, Girlboss and Other Words Added to the 2026 SCRABBLE Dictionary

Ten More Words from Taylor Swift Songs

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
couple-laugh-cafe
Quiz: Foreign Phrases You Should Know Check out your bona fides and avoid any faux pas.
See All