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three-ring circus

noun

ˈthrē-ˈriŋ- How to pronounce three-ring circus (audio)
Definition of three-ring circusnext
as in circus
a place of uproar or confusion the house has been a three-ring circus ever since the kids got back from summer camp

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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 three-ring circus Udo Kier is the perverted master of ceremonies in this three-ring circus of deviancy from director Paul Morrissey, which takes Frankenstein’s romantic necrophilia and distills it to its glistening, taboo essence. — Katie Rife, Vulture, 9 Nov. 2025 So much is packed in that The Slip feels more like a three-ring circus than a 12-round match. — Book Marks june 5, Literary Hub, 5 June 2025 The song uses a three-ring circus to explain the executive, legislative, and judicial branches. — Liz Tracey, JSTOR Daily, 12 Feb. 2025 The other is an unranked unicorn, most at home in the middle ring of a three-ring circus. — Matthew Futterman, The Athletic, 14 Jan. 2025 See All Example Sentences for three-ring circus
Recent Examples of Synonyms for three-ring circus
  1. circus
  2. madhouse
  3. bedlam
Noun
  • Perhaps most telling of all, Stone cuts the character of Carlotta, a governess born to circus performers who wanders through the play like a lost clown, origin-less, amused, and sad.
    — Sara Holdren, Vulture, 18 Sep. 2026
  • While Dallas is always going to put up numbers, the triumphant return of the Jaxson Dart/Cam Skattebo circus act should go a long way toward boosting the NFL’s audience in the nation’s biggest media market.
    — Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 18 Sep. 2026
Definition of circus
Noun
  • Whereas this evening in the Spanish Gothic madhouse of the United Theater, most every song from Melanie’s Hadean pageant is received with near word-perfect communalism.
    — Matt Thompson, SPIN, 13 July 2026
  • Headphones are often my saving grace in this madhouse.
    — Juhi Wadia, PC Magazine, 17 Apr. 2026
Definition of madhouse
Noun
  • Against this bedlam, Rhaenyra tries to fashion herself a real queen.
    — Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 6 July 2026
  • The scene around me was one of utter bedlam, with stadium officials even joining in the celebrations.
    — Ben Church, CNN Money, 25 June 2026
Definition of bedlam

Browse Nearby Words

threefold
three-ring circus
three-ring circuses
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Cite this Entry

“Three-ring circus.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/three-ring%20circus. Accessed 27 Sep. 2026.

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