CLOWNING Synonyms: 115 Similar and Opposite Words

clowning 1 of 2

noun

as in joking

wildly playful or mischievous behavior our coworker's clowning was distracting, but fun to watch

Synonyms & Similar Words

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clowning

2 of 2

verb

present participle of clown

as in masquerading

Related Words

as in cutting 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 clowning

Noun

On paper, the script didn’t seem that funny, and the looseness of it all — the clowning, the lack of a traditional plot structure — seemed kind of slapdash. — Victor Garber, Vulture, 17 Sep. 2026 The clowning might be a little too effortful. — Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 13 May 2026 As the race unfolds in real time, there’s clowning, collisions, sabotage, surprises, comedy, chaos and more. — Pam Kragen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 Apr. 2026 With an impressive ability to do accents and a background in clowning, Storrie is made for this. — Tiffany Kelly, Entertainment Weekly, 27 Feb. 2026 The balance is also what clowning is. — Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 16 Feb. 2026 There’s no grandstanding, no frantic clowning. — Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 11 Feb. 2026 The clowning isn’t over just yet, though. — Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 13 Jan. 2026 As with older clowning traditions, the early American circus clowns were adults performing taboo acts to shock and delight other adults. — Time, 30 Oct. 2025

Recent Examples of Synonyms for clowning

Noun

Indeed, at lunch, instead of separating into groups to eat, all 16 participants form one mega table and spend the half-hour joking and laughing together.

— Ellise Shafer, Variety, 31 Aug. 2026
Many readers — some likely joking — shared their grievances with Elmo.

— Brian Niemietz, New York Daily News, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of joking

Verb

One year later, Clooney, 65, is back at the Venice Film Festival for a spin in the spotlight on the opening night for a bit of life imitating art.

— Chris Gardner, HollywoodReporter, 2 Sep. 2026
Slop is formulaic and impersonal, the aggregate of everything that is already imitating everything else.

— Becca Rothfeld, New Yorker, 29 Aug. 2026

Definition of imitating

Verb

Cut the half into thin wedges by making ½-inch slices lengthwise through the onion, cutting up to, but not through, the root end.

— Sarah Martens, Better Homes & Gardens, 1 Sep. 2026
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

Definition of cutting up

Verb

Although Craven’s touch is missing, Bettinelli-Olpin and Gillett honor his memory by mimicking his style while engraving their own slick mark.

— Michael Lee Simpson, Entertainment Weekly, 5 Sep. 2026
The 600-soldier 173rd Airborne Brigade, built to deploy wherever drones were needed, had been mimicking Ukrainian tactics and rapidly building its own systems to counter Russia and Iran-style threats.

— Konstantin Toropin, Los Angeles Times, 2 Sep. 2026

Definition of mimicking

Noun

Allow Yahya Abdul-Mateen II to clarify his remarks about Aquaman being the work of clowns with… some clownery.

— Jessica Wang, EW.com, 1 Sep. 2022
Chronicle Books In the world of clownery, tradition has long dictated that a clown must never steal another clown’s look.

— Constance Grady, Vox, 20 Aug. 2018