as in cutting up
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 clowning (around)
Verb
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The large surface makes cutting up fruits, veggies and meat easy.—
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,
6 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Gisin hopes that by fooling around with measurements of these more exotic states, physicists will come to better understand the role of measurement in general.—
Quanta Magazine,
Quanta Magazine,
8 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Also on Tuesday, a video with Didi showing off boxes of Haitian money wrapped with bank slips circulated on Haitian social media alongside postings of other notorious gang leaders partying over the weekend in various parts of the capital.—
Jacqueline Charles,
Miami Herald,
2 Sep. 2025
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In recent years, young women have been catapulted into virality by showing off their outfits for rush events, known on a corner of the internet as #RushTok.—
Taylor Ardrey,
USA Today,
9 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Johnson, who struggles with a neuroma, swears by her Oofos mules to keep it from acting up.—
Jennifer Heimlich,
SELF,
29 Aug. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Clowning (around).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/clowning%20%28around%29. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.
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