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
Forget the silly animal high jinks, the humble slapstick of peekaboo and patty-cake, and the earnest overviews of shapes, colors, and numbers; some of today’s baby books have far loftier ambitions. — Elise Broach, New Yorker, 21 Aug. 2026 But his profound reflections are punctuated by superb slapstick, slyly symbolic sleight-of-hand and, yes, some serious Shakespeare that make for an equally entertaining and thought-provoking hour. — Jared Kaufman, Twin Cities, 13 Aug. 2026
Adjective
Don Adams led the slapstick spy spoof as the brainy but hopelessly incompetent Agent Smart, starring alongside Barbara Feldon as the ever-capable Agent 99. — Jack Dunn, Variety, 9 Sep. 2026 Clive Ibizugbe, who operates under the pseudonym Big Groove, ate his way through the city, sharing the journey in his slapstick style with more than 2 million followers. — Lyndsay C. Green, Freep.com, 30 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for slapstick
Recent Examples of Synonyms for slapstick
  1. comedy
  2. clowning
  3. zany
  4. humor
  5. buffoonery
  6. clownish
  7. satire
  8. joking
Noun
  • This week’s episode is hosted by Shane Gillis, marking his third time hosting the NBC sketch comedy series since being fired as a cast member in 2019 over resurfaced racist and homophobic remarks.
    — Anna Tingley, Variety, 11 Oct. 2026
  • Ackie didn’t only discuss horror, but also comedy during her appearance, including I Love Boosters.
    — Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 10 Oct. 2026
Definition of comedy
Noun
  • On paper, the script didn’t seem that funny, and the looseness of it all — the clowning, the lack of a traditional plot structure — seemed kind of slapdash.
    — Victor Garber, Vulture, 17 Sep. 2026
  • The clowning might be a little too effortful.
    — Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 13 May 2026
Definition of clowning
Adjective
  • Curry went on to a successful, varied career, immediately seeking a departure from the zany role with which he’d become identified.
    — Lisa de los Reyes, HollywoodReporter, 26 Aug. 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
  • Comedy can be harder to export, Barrois notes, given its reliance on local humor.
    — Emiliano de Pablos, Variety, 10 Oct. 2026
  • The end result is a sharp, unapologetic art-house novel full of gravitas, humor and heartbreaking revelations about the Black American experience and the thousand and one ways our nation can shatter Black souls.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of humor
Noun
  • The show creates space for other types of buffoonery as well.
    — Georgie McKeon, Vulture, 5 Oct. 2026
  • Still, there's a remarkable level of buffoonery in his analysis.
    — Bobby Burack OutKick, FOXNews.com, 4 Aug. 2026
Definition of buffoonery
Adjective
  • Though Lyons’s clownish sensibilities are central to The Woman on the Edge, the show isn’t purely clown, integrating other forms and techniques, from contemporary dance to film reenactment.
    — Georgie McKeon, Vulture, 5 Oct. 2026
  • This is our introduction to He and She, two clownish, pugilistic lovers who are locked in a war of words, even as a literal war rages outside.
    — Emily Nussbaum, New Yorker, 24 Sep. 2026
Definition of clownish
Noun
  • The author behind the singular Elizabeth Zott returns with ‘Peck & Peck,’ a sharp, charming satire on the pretensions and perils of literary gatekeepers.
    — Leigh Haber, Los Angeles Times, 13 Oct. 2026
  • Previous Disney Germany shows nclude Call my Agent Berlin, Jörg Winger’s Sam – A Saxon and The Interpreter of Silence, while upcoming is Austrian satire Vienna Game, thriller Nele Neuhaus Monster and Swiss production Under the Ice.
    — Max Goldbart, Deadline, 12 Oct. 2026
Definition of satire
Noun
  • Russell was mentioned in that speech, but in a joking way, playing off of how frequent Oscars director Glenn Weiss, who won for his role helming the 2018 Academy Awards telecast, had used his speech to propose to his then-girlfriend.
    — Hilary Lewis, HollywoodReporter, 9 Oct. 2026
  • Arch Manning's joking comments at a news conference about a fake video of coach Steve Sarkisian slapping ESPN reporter Holly Rowe erupted in controversy.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 17 Sep. 2026
Definition of joking

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 15 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on slapstick

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about slapstick

Love words? Need even more definitions?

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

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

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

The Exceptions of '-s' and '-es' Plurals

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

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

16 Food Words Recently Added to the Dictionary

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

7 Words for Bad Endings and Rough Situations

The Words of the Week - Oct. 9
See More

Popular

See More

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

16 Food Words Recently Added to the Dictionary

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'
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
a cup of tea and a golf ball on tee side by side
Quiz: Sounds Like... Choose the word that sounds like it fits the clue...
See All