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as in clown
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

Synonyms & Similar 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 jester His Nineties art-punk jesters Lifter Puller never made a ripple outside the Twin Cities. Rob Sheffield, Rolling Stone, 6 Apr. 2025 Instead of cars on Marshall Street, attendees will find more than 75 artisans and performers — including a fairy trading post, storytellers and a court jester — and a mead pop-up bar. Karri Peifer, Axios, 5 Mar. 2025 Bailey, deft and playful, chooses to be his own antic, a droll and often hostile jester. Helen Shaw, New Yorker, 17 Apr. 2025 Tonight, these jesters are turned into rock stars in the heart of Midtown. Eric Francisco, Rolling Stone, 1 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for jester
Recent Examples of Synonyms for jester
Noun
  • The ranking also includes Adam Waheed, known online as comedian Adam W, who pulls in more than 1 billion views on social platforms each month.
    Megan Poinski, Forbes.com, 18 June 2025
  • For one thing, the father and two of the older brothers of future late-night talk-show host and comedian Stephen Colbert were killed in the crash.
    Scott Fowler, Charlotte Observer, 18 June 2025
Noun
  • Also, this was not a good week for billionaires as a socialist Muslim won a long-shot victory in the NYC Democratic primary, partly on the promise to raise taxes among the highest income earners, and Amazon founder Jeff Bezos starred in a clown show wedding in Venice.
    Paul Bedard, The Washington Examiner, 28 June 2025
  • Ayanna Pressley, another blow-in-drifter (from Chicago), pole vaulted from the City Council clown show to the U.S. House.
    Howie Carr, Boston Herald, 25 June 2025
Noun
  • Burgess and Shelby’s View Forecasting Trump’s decisions is always a fool’s errand, and his public statements on Wednesday only underscored his opaque approach.
    Burgess Everett, semafor.com, 18 June 2025
  • Still, only a fool would underestimate the strength of a mom’s love.
    David Fear, Rolling Stone, 13 June 2025
Noun
  • Learn more about management options and which food plants are most susceptible to this insect in our harlequin bug on vegetables web page.
    Miri Talabac, Baltimore Sun, 16 Apr. 2025
  • Once infused with the diabolical spirit, the guide is transformed into a buffoon, complete with a harlequin outfit—a mad joker and a dancing fool who does a little jig to the sound of a jazz trio.
    Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 11 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • Yet Mitchell Robinson, ever the joker, can’t make up his mind.
    Kristian Winfield, New York Daily News, 23 May 2025
  • Hayden Christensen as Jake Hill Conley Hayden Christensen played Jake Hill Conley, another neighborhood boy known for being a practical joker.
    Samantha Stutsman, People.com, 21 Apr. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Jester.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/jester. Accessed 2 Jul. 2025.

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