slapstick 1 of 2

noun

ˈslap-ˌstik How to pronounce slapstick (audio)
Definition of slapsticknext
1
as in comedy
humorous entertainment an actor whose roles range from slapstick to serious drama

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance
2
as in clowning
wildly playful or mischievous behavior a lowbrow comedy that relies heavily on slapstick for its laughs

Synonyms & Similar Words

slapstick

2 of 2

adjective

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
Noun
Jim Carrey, The Mask 2 Jim Carrey's starring role in 1994's The Mask was just one in a string of box office hits that cemented the actor and comedian as a slapstick icon. — Brianna Zigler, Entertainment Weekly, 1 July 2026 And the slapstick with the painting, that was a big one. — Emily Nussbaum, New Yorker, 21 June 2026
Adjective
For every moment of slapstick body comedy, there is an equally devastating scene of heartbreak. — Luke Chinman, PEOPLE, 2 June 2026 Performers were often white people who donned blackface to mock Black people through song, dance and slapstick comedy. — A.d. Carson, The Conversation, 6 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for slapstick
Recent Examples of Synonyms for slapstick
  1. comedy
  2. clowning
  3. zany
  4. humor
  5. joking
  6. clownish
  7. satire
  8. buffoonery
Noun
  • Even the president’s jokes about his bad jokes fell flat, and he was widely ridiculed for the comedy routine afterward.
    — Brian Stelter, CNN Money, 25 July 2026
  • The Hawk, the Will Ferrell golf comedy, only got a couple of days on top of Netflix’s top 10 list.
    — Paul Tassi, Forbes.com, 25 July 2026
Definition of comedy
Noun
  • 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
Definition of clowning
Adjective
  • Dujardin and Dana have fine chemistry, but Dujardin’s best chemistry is with Ficarra, an Italian comic with exaggerated features and a love for the zanier aspects of the story.
    — Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 30 June 2026
  • Big Brother has certainly had a zany cast of characters over the years, but the characters that really matter are the casts themselves.
    — Dalton Ross, Entertainment Weekly, 4 June 2026
Definition of zany
Noun
  • Sisyphus’s Worst Day Ever is a 3D puzzle game that challenges players to engineer elaborate contraptions to keep Sisyphus trapped in an endless cycle, blending dark humor, inventive puzzle design, and a playful twist on an age-old tale.
    — Destiny Jackson, Deadline, 23 July 2026
  • Formed in 1985 in response to rampant sexism in the art world, the Guerrilla Girls sought to revitalize feminism through the use of humor, protest, street art, and visually engaging graphics.
    — News Desk, Artforum, 23 July 2026
Definition of humor
Noun
  • Back in December 1968, Dolan wrote a joking column about the earlier Lake Worth monster, from way back in 1947.
    — Star-Telegram staff, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 10 July 2026
  • Oh, but the Padres manager was ready with the joking last night.
    — Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 21 June 2026
Definition of joking
Adjective
  • Martin showed that even a clownish gentleman with a pure heart could woo someone like Tisha Campbell’s Gina.
    — Jordan Hoffman, Entertainment Weekly, 8 June 2026
  • The Black characters that appeared on-screen closely resembled the clownish stereotypes popularized by the minstrels.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 25 Mar. 2026
Definition of clownish
Noun
  • What began as a bold social satire — blending visceral action with a critique of corporate greed, privatization, and the nature of identity — has resonated across generations, spawning sequels, television series, video games and comic books.
    — James Hibberd, HollywoodReporter, 21 July 2026
  • Ambitiously reaching past satire toward psychological revelation, the play piles on plot twists but offers thin, inconsistent character work and a retrograde climax, leaving its portrait of American familial dysfunction strangely underpowered.
    — Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 21 July 2026
Definition of satire
Noun
  • Without Roberts in charge, expect the political and racial buffoonery to creep back into the conversation at ESPN.
    — Bobby Burack OutKick, FOXNews.com, 30 Apr. 2026
  • 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
Definition of buffoonery

Browse Nearby Words

slaps down
slapstick
slapsticks
See all Nearby Words

Podcast

Theme music by Joshua Stamper ©2006 New Jerusalem Music/ASCAP

Cite this Entry

“Slapstick.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/slapstick. Accessed 29 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on slapstick

Nglish: Translation of slapstick for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about slapstick

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of inveigle

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

Why does English have so many silent letters?

Your vs. You're: How to Use Them Correctly
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Dutch Treat and French Leave: Eight Place-Based Compounds

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Dutch Treat and French Leave: Eight Place-Based Compounds

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
chain-question-mark
Missing Link Quiz July 2026 Five seconds to figure out the word that fits bot...
See All