Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective clownish differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of clownish are boorish, churlish, and loutish. While all these words mean "uncouth in manners or appearance," clownish suggests ill-bred awkwardness, ignorance or stupidity, ungainliness, and often a propensity for absurd antics.

an adolescent's clownish conduct

When could boorish be used to replace clownish?

The meanings of boorish and clownish largely overlap; however, boorish implies rudeness of manner due to insensitiveness to others' feelings and unwillingness to be agreeable.

a drunk's boorish behavior

Where would churlish be a reasonable alternative to clownish?

The synonyms churlish and clownish are sometimes interchangeable, but churlish suggests surliness, unresponsiveness, and ungraciousness.

churlish remarks

In what contexts can loutish take the place of clownish?

Although the words loutish and clownish have much in common, loutish implies bodily awkwardness together with stupidity.

a loutish oaf

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 clownish Orange cats, particularly tabbies like Butter, are known for their quirky and often clownish personalities. Lydia Patrick, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 June 2025 The writer might have been reminded of Napoleon III, who hovers in the background of the novel as a sinister, clownish figure. Graham Robb, The Atlantic, 9 June 2025 In the mountains of Papua New Guinea, researchers encountered a clownish creature perched on a log in a fern meadow, basking in the sun. Lauren Liebhaber, Miami Herald, 22 Apr. 2025 The suit also paints a clownish portrait of the entrepreneur, portraying him as pompous, shameless, and untrustworthy. Rachel Corbett, Vulture, 16 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for clownish
Recent Examples of Synonyms for clownish
Adjective
  • Depicting Americans as arrogant, loud, boorish and demeaning of other cultures, the term has stuck and is still mentioned 60-plus years later.
    Jenny Peters, Oc Register, 4 Aug. 2025
  • Lownie’s book chronicles other pretty outrageous, boorish behavior by Andrew, both in the company of his pedophile friend, the late American financier Jeffrey Epstein, and on his own.
    Martha Ross, Mercury News, 4 Aug. 2025
Adjective
  • The recent rash of CEOs Gone Wild is arguably even stupider than commonplace fraud, and a troubling sign that there continues to be a slippery slope of accountability for C-Suite leadership.
    Ian Chaffee, Fortune, 5 Sep. 2025
  • The accounts team logs in right on time, and the stupid dance of platitudes that precedes every meeting at every company around the world begins.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 5 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Societal neglect will inevitably breed a coarseness in manner and language, exhibited by the uncouth nature of the Chiefs’ players as well as the public watching them.
    Vikram Murthi, IndieWire, 19 Aug. 2025
  • If Netanyahu loses the next elections, his downfall would bring a wave of relief among many Israelis at home and abroad for removing the uncouth populists and religious fundamentalists who openly broadcast their intentions to destroy and starve the population of Gaza and annex the territory.
    DAHLIA SCHEINDLIN, Foreign Affairs, 13 Aug. 2025
Adjective
  • This was like loutish English tourists turning up unannounced and urinating in the holy water.
    Tim Spiers, New York Times, 22 May 2025
  • And Gandolfini, who died of a heart attack in 2013 at age 51, was the show’s tempestuous soul, playing a loutish killer with a quick temper and sad eyes.
    Chris Vognar, Los Angeles Times, 28 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • Private ownership is eliminated with the goal of all goods being equally shared in a classless society.
    Marley Malenfant, Austin American Statesman, 2 July 2025
  • The rowdy responses of the classless crowd were intolerable.
    Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 10 June 2025
Adjective
  • Read more: How the Low-Stakes Murder Mystery Took Over Pop Culture Advertisement Still, The Thursday Murder Club is so good-natured, and so gorgeous to look at, that to carp about it just seems churlish.
    Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 22 Aug. 2025
  • The pure of heart among you may recoil at the notion that anyone would sow brutish chaos, hurt vulnerable people and throw any semblance of democracy under the bus for a churlish, vicious distraction.
    Pat Beall, Sun Sentinel, 14 Aug. 2025
Adjective
  • Gilliam is not contesting states' rights to ban profane, sexualized or vulgar plates.
    Angele Latham, The Tennessean, 3 Sep. 2025
  • Two Beal City high schoolers received thousands of vulgar text messages from an unknown sender for months.
    Natalie Davies, Freep.com, 3 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Clownish.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/clownish. Accessed 11 Sep. 2025.

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