1
as in comedy
humorous entertainment
an actor whose roles range from slapstick to serious drama
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in hijinks
wildly playful or mischievous behavior
a lowbrow comedy that relies heavily on slapstick for its laughs
Synonyms & Similar Words
as in zany
Related Words
Dissimilar 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 slapstick
James Folta, Literary Hub, 10 Sep. 2025
What follows is a delightful mix of slapstick comedy (a bathtub scene that ranks among the best physical comedy of the decade), whimsical set pieces, and a genuinely touching story about belonging.
—Travis Bean, Forbes.com, 6 Sep. 2025
Caryn James, HollywoodReporter, 30 Aug. 2025
Cartuna launched its distribution arm last year with a focus on Blu-ray discs, among them the period slapstick comedy Hundreds of Beavers.
—Dade Hayes, Deadline, 13 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for slapstick
Noun
The whole this is very slapstick and irreverent, and the story is advanced almost exclusively by wacky deus ex machinas.
—James Folta, Literary Hub, 10 Sep. 2025
What follows is a delightful mix of slapstick comedy (a bathtub scene that ranks among the best physical comedy of the decade), whimsical set pieces, and a genuinely touching story about belonging.
—Travis Bean, Forbes.com, 6 Sep. 2025
Adjective
This new film is a very black comedy that is also a heist story with some bloody violence, along with a bit of knockabout slapstick and a theme of family bonds.
—Caryn James, HollywoodReporter, 30 Aug. 2025
Cartuna launched its distribution arm last year with a focus on Blu-ray discs, among them the period slapstick comedy Hundreds of Beavers.
—Dade Hayes, Deadline, 13 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for slapstick
Recent Examples of Synonyms for slapstick
Noun
-
And the first person viewers saw on-screen this week was Patterson’s fellow newcomer Jeremy Culhane—a fresh face to those who have never encountered social-media clips of his impish appearances on the niche comedy streamer Dropout.—
Erik Adams,
The Atlantic,
5 Oct. 2025
-
Brennan is known for his signature style of colorful windbreakers and comedy, focusing on growing up in the Midwest in a family of eight children with a doctor for a father, despite having no health insurance himself.—
Jillian Sederholm,
Entertainment Weekly,
5 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
After guest-starring on an episode of Happy Days in 1978, Williams' zany character proved so popular that ABC cast him as the lead a year later on the spinoff Mork & Mindy, opposite Pam Dawber as his human love interest Mindy McConnell.—
Nate Jones,
People.com,
11 Aug. 2025
-
The movie is possibly loud and colorful and zany and kooky and busy enough to mask the desperation in a script that shows little imagination for the psychological hurdles of people from three different generations struggling to understand one another.—
David Rooney,
HollywoodReporter,
5 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
By pivoting back to pop anthems with humor, empathy, a little fury and a lot of wisdom, Swift ensures that ascent will continue.—
Jason Lipshutz,
Billboard,
3 Oct. 2025
-
For Beckham, the choice carried both humor and fashion weight.—
Maggie Clancy,
Footwear News,
3 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Finally, after plenty of clowning, Taylor Swift has revealed that her 12th album is on the way, titled The Life of a Showgirl.—
Tom Smyth,
Vulture,
13 Aug. 2025
-
This is a work in which the slapstick clowning and the tricky verbal non sequiturs should be merely the surface for roiling undercurrents of anguish, futility, despair and fear.—
David Rooney,
HollywoodReporter,
3 Sep. 2019
Adjective
-
The combo together ensures that the lip doesn't look clownish.—
Sarah Hoffmann,
Allure,
3 Oct. 2025
-
Off-camera, Rosenthal’s characteristic ebullience is more cerebral than clownish.—
Gary Baum,
HollywoodReporter,
22 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
While not everyone took to Cult’s broad political satire, it’s still considered a fine mid-era installment.—
Declan Gallagher,
Entertainment Weekly,
5 Oct. 2025
-
While framed as satire, the content references child exploitation, raising questions about the adequacy of Sora 2’s safeguards.—
Martha McHardy,
MSNBC Newsweek,
3 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Only an Aries, like Lily, can take Barney’s jabs in a joking way.—
Lisa Stardust,
PEOPLE,
19 Sep. 2025
-
When Peanut pulled his second escape act, his owners knew where to look and handled Peanut's disappearance in a joking manner.—
Michael Nied,
People.com,
2 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
The latter character ushers in a stiff but amusing Mark Cuban cameo.—
David Rooney,
HollywoodReporter,
30 Sep. 2025
-
Fleury gave a typically amusing answer when asked about the chants of one more year.—
Josh Yohe,
New York Times,
28 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Slapstick.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/slapstick. Accessed 7 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share