Definition of harlequinnext
as in clown
a comically dressed performer (as at a circus) who entertains with playful tricks and ridiculous behavior among the court entertainers waiting to enter the grand hall were masked harlequins in brightly colored pantaloons

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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 harlequin The spill hit 1,300 miles of coastline, leading to the deaths of about 900 bald eagles, 300 seals, 1,000 harlequin ducks, 2,800 sea otters and 250,000 seabirds, according to the conservation group Oceana. Arizona Republic, AZCentral.com, 24 Mar. 2026 Rather than the usual crisscross pattern, Holmes’ sweater features solid block diamonds in bold colors for a harlequin look that is honestly a breath of fresh air. Elizabeth Logan, Glamour, 27 Jan. 2026 In these respects, apart from the harlequin excesses of his Stalinism, Cowley is terrifically sound. Vince Passaro, Harpers Magazine, 30 Dec. 2025 Pity the poor actor who has to co-star opposite a 150-pound harlequin Great Dane. Peter Rainer, Christian Science Monitor, 3 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for harlequin
Recent Examples of Synonyms for harlequin
clown
Noun
  • Hints at the canonical Big Daddies of existential clown float through the air — Beckett would recognize this pair, and so would Jean Genet.
    Sara Holdren, Vulture, 14 June 2026
  • The comments section is filled with college football fans from all over the country calling the university's athletic department a bunch of clowns and hypocrites, but one Big 12 rival, the TCU Horned Frogs, put out a statement of their own in response to Tech's video.
    Austin Perry OutKick, FOXNews.com, 12 June 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Harlequin.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/harlequin. Accessed 16 Jun. 2026.

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