1
as in comedian
a person (as a writer) noted for or specializing in humor
a gentle jester, the cartoonist more often tries to evoke a broad smile than a hearty guffaw
Synonyms & Similar Words
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2
as in fool
a person formerly kept in a royal or noble household to amuse with jests and pranks
the king called for some much-needed entertainment from his jester
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of jester
In uncertain times, humour is a powerful tool, and artists are the best jesters, critics, and storytellers around.
—
Lee Sharrock, Forbes.com, 19 Sep. 2025
Ronald McDonald would beg to differ, although this assertion was made a full 40 years before the hamburger harlequin would supplant Bozo as America’s most beloved parti-colored jester.
—Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 12 Sep. 2025
Pugs is dressed like a jester, poor kid.
—Jessica M. Goldstein, Vulture, 3 Sep. 2025
If there’s an argument for chucking reason to the wind and just enjoying the vibes, then the experimental musician Moses Sumney, as the jester Feste, is best at making it.
—Helen Shaw, New Yorker, 22 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for jester
Lee Sharrock, Forbes.com, 19 Sep. 2025
Ronald McDonald would beg to differ, although this assertion was made a full 40 years before the hamburger harlequin would supplant Bozo as America’s most beloved parti-colored jester.
—Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 12 Sep. 2025
Pugs is dressed like a jester, poor kid.
—Jessica M. Goldstein, Vulture, 3 Sep. 2025
If there’s an argument for chucking reason to the wind and just enjoying the vibes, then the experimental musician Moses Sumney, as the jester Feste, is best at making it.
—Helen Shaw, New Yorker, 22 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for jester
Recent Examples of Synonyms for jester
Noun
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The comedian wore dangly diamond and pearl earrings and styled her hair in soft waves.—
Ashley Hume,
FOXNews.com,
12 Jan. 2026
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Wanda Sykes made sure that comedian Ricky Gervais — a comedian whose past material raised eyebrows and allegations of transphobia — shared his big 2026 Golden Globes night with a higher power and the transgender community.—
Joey Nolfi,
Entertainment Weekly,
12 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Of course, comparing the bottle in question to contemporary releases is a fool’s errand—this was something different entirely.—
David Thomas Tao,
Forbes.com,
26 Jan. 2026
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Breaking down such a layered metaphysical concept with the relatively few words left in this review would be a fool’s errand, but suffice it to say that all of the math miraculously checks out.—
Christian Zilko,
IndieWire,
26 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Brewer depicts the world of music impersonators with a fair amount of affection, like the rodeo clowns of late 20th-century America.—
Peter Tonguette,
The Washington Examiner,
9 Jan. 2026
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Cirque du Soleil is known for its shows featuring acrobats, athletes and clowns – all doing spectacular feats.—
Brian Steinberg,
Variety,
8 Jan. 2026
Noun
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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
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In these respects, apart from the harlequin excesses of his Stalinism, Cowley is terrifically sound.—
Vince Passaro,
Harpers Magazine,
30 Dec. 2025
Noun
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Around the firehouse, Kelly was known as being a practical joker.—
Justin Muszynski,
Hartford Courant,
12 Jan. 2026
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The 166-piece set includes 36 dot, bam, and crack tiles, 12 dragons, 16 winds, 16 flowers, 10 jokers, and four blank spare tiles made from melamine.—
Maggie Horton,
PEOPLE,
8 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Jester.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/jester. Accessed 1 Feb. 2026.
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