as in silly
showing or marked by a lack of good sense or judgment
a zany plan to drive cross-country on a motorized scooter
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in clown
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
2
as in eccentric
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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of zany
Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 25 Sep. 2025
Peter Cook and Billy Crystal add zany cameos, while Peter Falk shines as a grandfatherly storyteller.
—Duane Byrge, HollywoodReporter, 25 Sep. 2025
Carr is part of an episode subplot involving Donald Trump’s efforts to get rid of his unborn butt baby with Satan, but all the zany schemes the president concocts keep befalling the hapless FCC chair instead.
—Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 25 Sep. 2025
But there's a delightfully zany energy to Tim Burton's first superhero flick, which reimagines Gotham as a noirish playground of dark alleys and over-the-top parade floats.
—Devan Coggan, EW.com, 3 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for zany
Adjective
The series will follow an over-confident teen penguin named Flip, who teams a zany bunch of young surfers in his attempt to become a surf legend.
—Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 25 Sep. 2025
Peter Cook and Billy Crystal add zany cameos, while Peter Falk shines as a grandfatherly storyteller.
—Duane Byrge, HollywoodReporter, 25 Sep. 2025
Carr is part of an episode subplot involving Donald Trump’s efforts to get rid of his unborn butt baby with Satan, but all the zany schemes the president concocts keep befalling the hapless FCC chair instead.
—Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 25 Sep. 2025
But there's a delightfully zany energy to Tim Burton's first superhero flick, which reimagines Gotham as a noirish playground of dark alleys and over-the-top parade floats.
—Devan Coggan, EW.com, 3 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for zany
Recent Examples of Synonyms for zany
Adjective
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Go through a corn maze, sip on apple cider, and take silly pictures with the cardboard cutouts.—
Kylie Petty,
Better Homes & Gardens,
25 Oct. 2025
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This separation keeps parents' Discover Weekly and Wrapped playlists clean from unexpected surprises like a sudden obsession with gaming soundtracks or silly meme songs.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
24 Oct. 2025
Noun
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This guy might be single-handedly responsible for generations of people having an irrational fear of clowns.—
Steven Thrash,
Entertainment Weekly,
24 Oct. 2025
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Unlike past attempts at fictionalizing his life, Macmanus barely touches on the fact that Gacy had a hobby of dressing up like a clown, and doesn’t show any actual murders in the series.—
Elisabeth Garber-Paul,
Rolling Stone,
24 Oct. 2025
Noun
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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
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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
Adjective
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The film’s ever-so-slightly absurd sincerity is nothing if not brazen.—
Owen Gleiberman,
Variety,
22 Oct. 2025
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Conceptions of world geography at the time were faulty to an almost absurd extent, Bergreen said.—
Lee Habeeb,
MSNBC Newsweek,
22 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Learn more about management options and which food plants are most susceptible to this insect in our harlequin bug on vegetables web page.—
Miri Talabac,
Baltimore Sun,
16 Apr. 2025
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Pity the poor actor who has to co-star opposite a 150-pound harlequin Great Dane.—
Peter Rainer,
Christian Science Monitor,
3 Apr. 2025
Noun
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In books and movies, though, versions of amnesia lurk everywhere … Amnesiacs might not much exist, but amnesiac characters stumble everywhere through comic books, movies, and our dreams.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
24 Oct. 2025
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Other new characters joining the mix are Malcolm’s girlfriend, Tristan (Kiana Madeira) and his daughter, Leah (Keeley Karsten).—
Selome Hailu,
Variety,
23 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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And that’s a stupid, dumb, mindless question.—
Lisa Gutierrez,
Kansas City Star,
25 Oct. 2025
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Dessert Week is the stupidest week, at least conceptually.—
Brian Moylan,
Vulture,
24 Oct. 2025
Noun
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The 2022 Sequel Texas Chainsaw Massacre Set in the modern day, this 2022 Netflix movie is (another) direct sequel to the original, ignoring every film that comes between.—
Keith Langston,
PEOPLE,
25 Oct. 2025
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But sometimes its just great to come back to the original.—
Jeremy Repanich,
Robb Report,
25 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Zany.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/zany. Accessed 31 Oct. 2025.
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