ZANIES Synonyms: 72 Similar and Opposite Words

zanies

noun

plural of zany

as in clowns

a comically dressed performer (as at a circus) who entertains with playful tricks and ridiculous behavior hired a zany to entertain the children at the birthday party

Synonyms & Similar Words

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as in eccentrics

a person of odd or whimsical habits one of the challenges of hosting a radio call-in program is preventing the zanies from completely taking over the discussion

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for zanies

Noun

Because some of them are showing up to the game looking like clowns.

— Armando Salguero OutKick, FOXNews.com, 20 Sep. 2026
The excessiveness of Ken Russell, Joe Coleman, Tasha Tudor, clowns, migraines, Priscilla Presley, and the Winchester Mystery House.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 15 Sep. 2026

Definition of clowns

Noun

No documentarian has a better eye for intriguing oddballs than Errol Morris, who built his feature film career on drawing them out in conversation, from pet-cemetery owners in Gates of Heaven to small-town eccentrics in Vernon, Florida.

— Judy Berman, Time, 11 Aug. 2026
Dippold has populated the show with lovable eccentrics played by great character actors—Dale Dickey, Jeff Hiller, Tim Baltz.

— Rachel Syme, New Yorker, 18 June 2026

Definition of eccentrics

Noun

Beans, lentils, nuts and seeds still contribute protein and bring different nutrients with them.

— Ryan Brennan, Miami Herald, 23 Sep. 2026
But nearly 90% fall short on seafood and more than half miss the mark on nuts, seeds and soy, according to the 2020–2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans.

— Ryan Brennan, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 23 Sep. 2026

Definition of nuts

Noun

Taissa Farmiga, who has played three different characters in the franchise, is among them.

— Brenton Blanchet, PEOPLE, 24 Sep. 2026
Exactly 39 years after the debut of the iconic sitcom, a new sequel series hit Netflix on Thursday, blending a bunch of the beloved returning characters with a fresh class of freshmen.

— Derek Lawrence, Entertainment Weekly, 24 Sep. 2026

Definition of characters

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.

Browse Nearby Words

zags

zanies

zaniness

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“Zanies.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/zanies. Accessed 29 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of zanies

noun

Example Sentences

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