1
as in comedy
humorous entertainment
an actor whose roles range from slapstick to serious drama
Synonyms & Similar Words
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2
as in clowning
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
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Recent Examples of slapstick
Mark Hughes, Forbes.com, 31 May 2026
An addictive blend of thriller and slapstick, this novel is an absorbing and quick read, or listen.
—The Know, Denver Post, 31 May 2026
Lily Ford, HollywoodReporter, 22 Mar. 2026
There’s also some slapstick comic bits that add little to the story.
—Pam Kragen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 9 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for slapstick
Noun
This decision unfortunately led to more jokes and tongue planted firmly in cheek (akin to the slapstick reshooting of Superman II by Richard Lester for a more child-appealing and less ambitious approach than Richard Donner’s own Superman II footage before he was fired from the project).
—Mark Hughes, Forbes.com, 31 May 2026
An addictive blend of thriller and slapstick, this novel is an absorbing and quick read, or listen.
—The Know, Denver Post, 31 May 2026
Adjective
Reactions to the spin-off were mixed, with an industry understandably anxious about how the tone of NBC’s live sketch show would translate across the pond, where the humor is often not so slapstick.
—Lily Ford, HollywoodReporter, 22 Mar. 2026
There’s also some slapstick comic bits that add little to the story.
—Pam Kragen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 9 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for slapstick
Recent Examples of Synonyms for slapstick
Noun
-
Shakespeare’s comedies especially understand the joy of watching people get trapped in schemes and plots well beyond their control.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
2 June 2026
-
The film starts as a buddy comedy, with Niki helping out his elderly mentor, Harry, played by Dustin Hoffman, on tuning gigs.—
Jane Bua,
New Yorker,
1 June 2026
Noun
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The clowning might be a little too effortful.—
Theater Critic,
Los Angeles Times,
13 May 2026
-
As the race unfolds in real time, there’s clowning, collisions, sabotage, surprises, comedy, chaos and more.—
Pam Kragen,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
13 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
This sort of vivid world is where a zany maximalist like Sherman feels most at home.—
Lauren Giella,
MSNBC Newsweek,
14 May 2026
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And for those with a hankering for afternoon tea, the Upside Down tea party on Sundays is a zany take on a British tradition.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
13 May 2026
Noun
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Near the end of the play, Majok’s script becomes, like Mann’s score, flatter and broader in its messaging, losing some of its sharpness of observation, and the humor that characterizes Kaysen’s memoir fades.—
Jackson McHenry,
Vulture,
5 June 2026
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These days, living through a presidency marked by narrowness and resentment, the grace, humor, and curiosity with which Barack Obama approached the world feel impossibly distant.—
Justin Davidson,
Curbed,
4 June 2026
Noun
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Sometimes a playful comment, an unexpected reply or a joking callout between brands takes on a life of its own online.—
Expert Panel®,
Forbes.com,
20 May 2026
-
Despite that underlying tension, kids play on the street outside while the large family has a dynamic like any other — noisily squabbling, joking, or in the case of the matriarchal grandmother, Mariam (Hiam Abbass), preparing a meal in a kitchen plagued by constant utility outages.—
David Rooney,
HollywoodReporter,
15 May 2026
Adjective
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The Black characters that appeared on-screen closely resembled the clownish stereotypes popularized by the minstrels.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
25 Mar. 2026
-
The clownish dance is a Fortnite video game gesture, and involves making an L shape with fingers, pressing it to one’s forehead, then high kicking from side to side.—
Mark Price,
Charlotte Observer,
5 Mar. 2026
Noun
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The actress walks the show’s fine line between drama and satire perfectly, never seeming to take the occasion too seriously but also refusing to smirk at the camera.—
Joe Reid,
Vulture,
29 May 2026
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That conversation was largely deferred in favor of satire, intended or not.—
Joe Rexrode,
New York Times,
29 May 2026
Noun
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The show, with its interest in corporate buffoonery, doesn’t quite manage to hand-wave away the queasy implications.—
Inkoo Kang,
New Yorker,
27 Mar. 2026
-
Receivers have cratered seasons with me-over-we buffoonery.—
Troy Renck,
Denver Post,
19 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Slapstick.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/slapstick. Accessed 7 Jun. 2026.
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