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
1
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of clown
Armon Sadler, VIBE.com, 5 June 2025
After teasing the song on a Twitch livestream with the streamer Reggie, fans were quick to clown the pop star for trying to turn a lighthearted track into a soulful ballad.
—Mackenzie Cummings-Grady, Billboard, 22 May 2025
Adam Gopnik, New Yorker, 13 June 2025
Like a lot of clowns trained in South and Central America, Claudio has developed an expertise in what is known as crowd work, the name given to audience interaction.
—Chris Jones, Chicago Tribune, 5 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for clown
Noun
The 52-year-old recently appeared in the Happy Gilmore 2 trailer and hilariously clowns Adam Sandler.
—Armon Sadler, VIBE.com, 5 June 2025
After teasing the song on a Twitch livestream with the streamer Reggie, fans were quick to clown the pop star for trying to turn a lighthearted track into a soulful ballad.
—Mackenzie Cummings-Grady, Billboard, 22 May 2025
Verb
Caricatured by Honoré Daumier and his lesser followers always as a mountebank, a charlatan, a circus clown, Louis Napoleon could normalize the extent of his outrages by the seeming harmlessness of his absurdities.
—Adam Gopnik, New Yorker, 13 June 2025
Like a lot of clowns trained in South and Central America, Claudio has developed an expertise in what is known as crowd work, the name given to audience interaction.
—Chris Jones, Chicago Tribune, 5 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for clown
Recent Examples of Synonyms for clown
Noun
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Learn more about management options and which food plants are most susceptible to this insect in our harlequin bug on vegetables web page.—
Miri Talabac,
Baltimore Sun,
16 Apr. 2025
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Once infused with the diabolical spirit, the guide is transformed into a buffoon, complete with a harlequin outfit—a mad joker and a dancing fool who does a little jig to the sound of a jazz trio.—
Richard Brody,
The New Yorker,
11 Mar. 2025
Verb
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In his view, all 11 million undocumented immigrants are criminals masquerading as human beings.—
Sergio Munoz Bata,
Oc Register,
17 June 2025
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Donald Trump’s vainglorious birthday parade masquerading as a celebration of the 250th anniversary of the U.S. Army may get drenched in a rainy DC this Flag Day, but the financial sun is shining a bit brighter for some suffering Hollywood vendors.—
Dominic Patten,
Deadline,
14 June 2025
Verb
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Maria is a former basketball player for the University of New Orleans Maria cut up the court herself, as a Division I basketball player for the University of New Orleans from 1993 to 1996, per the Rutgers University website.—
Christopher Rudolph,
People.com,
25 June 2025
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Video and phone recordings showed Frey cutting up a rubber glove, filling it with something and stuffing the package into an arrow shaft during a call with Smith.—
Theresa Braine,
New York Daily News,
19 June 2025
Noun
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Capaldi himself was a phenomenal Doctor, bringing that trademark blend of grizzled warrior and cosmic buffoon, but his episodes were a bit hit-and-miss.—
Richard Edwards,
Space.com,
29 May 2025
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Problematic to be sure, but also a very in-character move for an ignorant buffoon.—
Ben Rosenstock,
Time,
6 May 2025
Noun
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But in politics — as in life —there’s a fine line between being genuine and being a jerk.—
Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic,
Forbes.com,
9 June 2025
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Smoky, spicy jerk is also on the menu in the Pulled Jerk Pork & Coconut Shrimp appetizer at Eleanor’s at Sandals Grande Antigua.—
Sandals Resorts,
AFAR Media,
4 June 2025
Verb
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In the video, Dunne is seen miming the words from a table at Pitt’s restaurant in Brooklyn as pasta, bread, and wine make the rounds (alas, there’s no visible clams).—
Joseph Hudak,
Rolling Stone,
11 June 2025
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Someone inevitably ends up acting out a pineapple or accidentally miming their entire life story.—
Tribune Content Agency,
Mercury News,
3 June 2025
Verb
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Umberto Rispoli squeezed between horses around the top of the stretch and then rode Journalism to a tremendous rally.—
Baltimore Sun staff,
Baltimore Sun,
24 May 2025
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Fayetteville Sad Palomino’s Will King releases a collection of home recordings In between horsing around with his longtime band Sad Palomino, Will King has been recording and trying to decide the best way to share songs, mostly written during winters from 2020 to 2025.—
Monica Hooper,
Arkansas Online,
25 May 2025
Noun
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As Pride Month 2025 comes to a close, a new couple just took to Instagram to make their relationship official: movie star Elliot Page and Overcompensating actor and comedian Julia Shiplett.—
Elizabeth Logan,
Glamour,
30 June 2025
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The legendary actor, director, comedian and producer, who turns 99 on June 28, 2025, kicked off his career in comedy by helping fellow funnyman Sid Caesar with hisYour Show of Shows.—
Alex Apatoff,
People.com,
28 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Clown.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/clown. Accessed 3 Jul. 2025.
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