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
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2
as in bastard
a person whose behavior is offensive to others
you should stay away from that clown
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
2
as in to cut up
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of clown
Nick Romano, EW.com, 20 May 2025
Like its namesake suggests, Clown in a Cornfield involves a clown named Frendo terrorizing some kids in a small town.
—Savannah Salazar, Vulture, 12 May 2025
Mackenzie Cummings-Grady, Billboard, 14 Apr. 2025
The alternating worlds are meant to be playful, but Toontown especially gets exhausting quickly, with characters mugging, clowning and amplifying every limp punchline.
—Frank Rizzo, Variety, 8 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for clown
Noun
Bill Skarsgård returns to play Pennywise, the demonic clown that serves as It's most frequently used guise.
—Nick Romano, EW.com, 20 May 2025
Like its namesake suggests, Clown in a Cornfield involves a clown named Frendo terrorizing some kids in a small town.
—Savannah Salazar, Vulture, 12 May 2025
Verb
On Sunday, Ja hopped on X to fire a few shots at 50 Cent, who clowned Ja’s appearance on The Breakfast Club last week.
—Mackenzie Cummings-Grady, Billboard, 14 Apr. 2025
The alternating worlds are meant to be playful, but Toontown especially gets exhausting quickly, with characters mugging, clowning and amplifying every limp punchline.
—Frank Rizzo, Variety, 8 Apr. 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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But that sounds more like a corporate cost-cutting threat just masquerading as historical inevitability.—
Michael Serazio,
Time,
28 May 2025
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Trailing 1-0, nothing summed it up so well as Harry Maguire masquerading as a forward again, a Hail Mary that can only work so often.—
Phil Hay,
New York Times,
22 May 2025
Verb
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The mower can cut up to a full acre on a single charge.—
Christopher Murray
may earn a commission if you buy through our referral links. This content was created by a team that works independently from the Fox newsroom.,
FOXNews.com,
2 June 2025
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Old towels cut up into rags do a great job of removing this soft flux once the copper pipe is cool enough to touch.—
Tim Carter,
Hartford Courant,
31 May 2025
Noun
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Dylan Maxwell could easily have been an unsympathetic buffoon, but there’s a distinct love for (and in most cases, an appreciation of) the people behind the teen archetypes on display.—
Wilson Chapman,
IndieWire,
20 May 2025
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Read: Comedy’s most erudite buffoon Mulaney has many advantages at Netflix that his conventional-television peers don’t, however.—
David Sims,
The Atlantic,
7 Apr. 2025
Noun
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As part of Gabriel’s solution to showing Ansari’s character that the grass isn’t always greener on the other side of the Hollywood, the well-meaning angel body-swaps him with an uber-rich jerk, played by Seth Rogen.—
Charisma Madarang,
Rolling Stone,
28 May 2025
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The left horse just wanted to shamble along, while the right horse pulled with frantic jerks.—
Louise Erdrich,
New Yorker,
25 May 2025
Verb
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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
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One of the others mimed palming the girl’s rear while the third snapped a photo.—
Dan Greene,
New Yorker,
26 May 2025
Verb
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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
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The sport requires a combination of elegance and toughness as a team of eight girls wear long gowns, perfectly matching accessories and impeccable makeup while riding horses around an arena.—
Daniel Eduardo Hernandez,
Los Angeles Times,
17 Apr. 2025
Noun
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Their teammates on the night were comedian Jack Dee and Kelly Cates, one of the new presenters of Premier League highlights show Match of the Day.—
Jake Kanter,
Deadline,
6 June 2025
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Bobs and lipstick kisses were blissfully extolled by actors, producers, influencers and comedians on the red carpet on Monday at the 2025 Gotham Television Awards in New York City.—
Kaleigh Werner,
Footwear News,
3 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Clown.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/clown. Accessed 13 Jun. 2025.
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