clowned (around)

verb

past tense of clown (around)
as in horsed around
to engage in attention-getting playful or boisterous behavior as a youngster he was always clowning around in the classroom

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for clowned (around)
  1. cut up
  2. fooled around
  3. acted up
  4. showed off
Verb
  • What parents can do on hectic mornings Nemours recommends doing as much as possible the night before, from setting out dishes to cutting up fruit.
    — Ashley Lynch, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 25 Aug. 2026
  • Mix a package of instant potatoes with a half packet of stuffing mix and some cut up salami.
    — Diana Helmuth, Outdoor Life, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of cut up
Verb
  • Not too long ago, artificial intelligence was more or less a science project in which data scientists and developers fooled around with one-off small or test projects.
    — Joe McKendrick, Forbes.com, 26 Jan. 2026
Definition of fooled around
Verb
  • And of course, Peterson not playing would have made some wonder if the McDonald’s All-American’s hamstring had acted up again.
    — Gary Bedore, Kansas City Star, 7 Dec. 2025
Definition of acted up
Verb
  • Two days after a dominant close to the joint practice against the Chicago Bears by the rebuilt defense, the roster depth Cincinnati is banking on as a weapon of attack this season showed off in a 27-9 win against Chicago.
    — Paul Dehner Jr, New York Times, 23 Aug. 2026
  • DeVito has a nice scramble DeVito showed off his running skills in the second quarter, breaking free for a 36-yard scramble to get the Patriots into Eagles territory for the first time.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 23 Aug. 2026
Definition of showed off
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.

Browse Nearby Words

clowned
clowned (around)
clownery
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Clowned (around).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/clowned%20%28around%29. Accessed 30 Aug. 2026.

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