1
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
Relevance
2
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
-
The clowns come at you quickly at Fast Splash Car Wash in Detroit, Mich.—
Neda Ulaby,
NPR,
27 Oct. 2025 -
This guy might be single-handedly responsible for generations of people having an irrational fear of clowns.—
Steven Thrash,
Entertainment Weekly,
24 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Appealing to consumers searching for a piece of history, the store has gained a following of visitors hunting for unique souvenirs, designers on inspiration trips and local eccentrics.—
Angela Velasquez,
Sourcing Journal,
24 Oct. 2025
-
For Mimi Pond, the desire to do a book about the Mitford sisters – six larger-than-life British eccentrics (and one brother) who created a stir in both British and American culture – was obvious.—
Erik Pedersen,
Oc Register,
5 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
This recipe takes a simple pumpkin cake and turns it into a wonderfully decadent dessert with a creamy, spiced filling and whipped topping with caramel, toffee bars, and nuts.—
Lisa Cericola,
Southern Living,
29 Oct. 2025
-
Add nuts and seeds to your diet.—
Merve Ceylan,
Health,
29 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Gretchen follows many unsavory characters on Instagram, including Tucker Carlson, Joe Rogan, and Ben Carson.—
Brian Moylan,
Vulture,
31 Oct. 2025
-
The characters are all different, but the contrast in personalities was similar.—
Sebastian Stafford-Bloor,
New York Times,
31 Oct. 2025
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.
Cite this Entry
“Zanies.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/zanies. Accessed 4 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share