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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
  • Duke Energy crews are working to cut up the tree and replace the pole, officials said.
    — Mark Price, Charlotte Observer, 15 Sep. 2026
  • Later, it was prevented from being cut up to decorate a carnival float.
    — Lauren Frayer, NPR, 9 Sep. 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
  • Dancing With the Stars pro Emma Slater showed off her recent injury in a social media video.
    — Shelby Stivale, Entertainment Weekly, 18 Sep. 2026
  • The influencer showed off the fresh hairstyle ahead of her appearance at Paris Fashion Week.
    — Skyler Caruso, PEOPLE, 16 Sep. 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
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Cite this Entry

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

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