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
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Recent Examples of slapstick
Jeremy Lybarger,
Artforum,
2 June 2026
While tossing old mementos into a fireplace, Long catches on fire in a wild slapstick sequence.
—
Rolling Stone,
1 June 2026
A.d. Carson,
The Conversation,
6 May 2026
Elsewhere in the episode, Rodrigo starred in a slapstick-heavy sketch about a 1980s soap opera where people keep tripping and violently falling down stairs in increasingly absurd ways.
—
Brendan Morrow,
USA Today,
3 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for slapstick
Noun
The slapstick titles—Crackned Horsez, To of Them, Ape Island, all 1972—further stymied any straightforwardly polemical takeaway.
—
Jeremy Lybarger,
Artforum,
2 June 2026
While tossing old mementos into a fireplace, Long catches on fire in a wild slapstick sequence.
—
Rolling Stone,
1 June 2026
Adjective
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
Elsewhere in the episode, Rodrigo starred in a slapstick-heavy sketch about a 1980s soap opera where people keep tripping and violently falling down stairs in increasingly absurd ways.
—
Brendan Morrow,
USA Today,
3 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for slapstick
Recent Examples of Synonyms for slapstick
Noun
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The two first crossed paths on André's Adult Swim late-night talk show comedy series The Eric André Show in 2020.
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In the latest installment of the comedy franchise, written by Chris Hazzard and Mike Fontana, Nick faces his biggest challenge yet… grandkids.
Noun
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The clowning might be a little too effortful.
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As the race unfolds in real time, there’s clowning, collisions, sabotage, surprises, comedy, chaos and more.
Adjective
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More than 2,200 theaters throughout the country showed the eighth episode and never-before-seen series finale of the zany online series from Australian animation studio Glitch Productions.
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Schlossberg, whose zany social media antics and Kennedy lineage brought national eyes to the race, has cast himself as an fresh face to a party searching for stars during Trump’s second term.
Noun
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Things seem to be going well; Lord Walder accepts Robb’s apology with cantankerous humor, and offers the Starks his full hospitality for the duration of the wedding.
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Framed as a feel-good drama with heart and humor, the series pairs a distinctly offbeat legal premise with a heavyweight creative package led by Weaving.
Noun
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Oh, but the Padres manager was ready with the joking last night.
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Still, Yoon’s joking somehow lightens the mood.
Adjective
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Martin showed that even a clownish gentleman with a pure heart could woo someone like Tisha Campbell’s Gina.
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The Black characters that appeared on-screen closely resembled the clownish stereotypes popularized by the minstrels.
Noun
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Returning to the director’s chair 11 years after drug-cartel drama 600 Miles, Gabriel Ripstein keeps things zipping along in an entertaining satire which, once again, highlights the rottenness at international football’s core.
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Born in 1942 in California, the actor's acting career began in high school on a variety show satire of Gunsmoke, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
Noun
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The show, with its interest in corporate buffoonery, doesn’t quite manage to hand-wave away the queasy implications.
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Receivers have cratered seasons with me-over-we buffoonery.
Cite this Entry
“Slapstick.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/slapstick. Accessed 1 Jul. 2026.
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