1
as in comedians
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 clowns
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
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Recent Examples of jesters
Since medieval times, the colorful fool—from court jesters to Shakespeare’s characters—has used playful wit to critique authority and buffoonery to whip up excitement.
—
Time, 30 Oct. 2025
Medieval Europe, an era that gave us heraldry, court jesters, and troubadours, is rendered in dull, grayish brown hues.
—Will Collins, The Washington Examiner, 19 Sep. 2025
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
Time, 30 Oct. 2025
Medieval Europe, an era that gave us heraldry, court jesters, and troubadours, is rendered in dull, grayish brown hues.
—Will Collins, The Washington Examiner, 19 Sep. 2025
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for jesters
Noun
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Caroline Hirsch, founder and former owner of the New York comedy club Carolines on Broadway, is known for an innate knack for identifying the next big thing in comedy… and Gaffigan was one of those comedians.—
Rosemary Rossi,
Variety,
9 Nov. 2025
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With Dylan surrounded by folk, blues, jazz and comedians such as Lenny Bruce, his artistic growth began immediately upon arriving in the Village in early 1961.—
Glenn Peoples,
Billboard,
7 Nov. 2025
Noun
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Six Flags Magic Mountain will fill the summer, fall and winter seasons in 2026 with an entertaining mix of Superman and Harley Quinn, Oktoberfest beers and Bavarian pretzels, killer clowns and blood curdling screams and Santa Claus and faux snow.—
Brady MacDonald,
Oc Register,
31 Dec. 2025
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There are articles about Frank Sinatra and Michael Jordan, royals and rock stars, cowboys and clowns.—
The New Yorker,
New Yorker,
18 Dec. 2025
Noun
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The fools of twenty-first-century Western imperialism possessed little of the historical literacy, let alone the moral sophistication, of Arendt, Weil, and Camus.—
Victor J. Blue,
Harpers Magazine,
23 Nov. 2025
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The mind wants desperately to connect with a person—and fools itself into seeing one in a machine.—
Damon Beres,
The Atlantic,
5 Nov. 2025
Noun
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So Porter is now the guy the State Police have supposedly doing a deep dive on the clowns, grifters and assorted gender-bending jokers that Maura Healey hands six-figure hack sinecures to — judicial nominees, college presidents, the heads of the veterans’ homes, etc.—
Howie Carr,
Boston Herald,
29 Nov. 2025
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These jokers in Indianapolis acting the fool.—
Chris Sims,
IndyStar,
27 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Jesters.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/jesters. Accessed 12 Jan. 2026.
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