1
as in harlequin
a comically dressed performer (as at a circus) who entertains with playful tricks and ridiculous behavior
a clown wearing big floppy shoes and a red wig
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2
as in bastard
a person whose behavior is offensive to others
you should stay away from that clown
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
2
as in to cut up
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of clown
Chris Willman, Variety, 3 Feb. 2025
The rising pop star danced amid a bevy of rodeo clowns clad in denim, and sang atop a giant pink pony.
—Eric Torres, Pitchfork, 3 Feb. 2025
Jen Chaney, Vulture, 30 Jan. 2025
It's taken my focus away as well, so maybe a little less clowning and more focus on the actual victory.
—Trent Reinsmith, Forbes, 21 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for clown
Noun
There was a good joke buried in that conceit: maybe only clowns spend as much time in the makeup chair as the drag artists that have provided Roan the inspiration for her primary look.
—Chris Willman, Variety, 3 Feb. 2025
The rising pop star danced amid a bevy of rodeo clowns clad in denim, and sang atop a giant pink pony.
—Eric Torres, Pitchfork, 3 Feb. 2025
Verb
Even the stuff that doesn’t involve actual performances — like video of Charles Barkley and the members of Nirvana clowning around while shooting a promo — has the feel of a precious artifact that’s finally been unearthed.
3.
—Jen Chaney, Vulture, 30 Jan. 2025
It's taken my focus away as well, so maybe a little less clowning and more focus on the actual victory.
—Trent Reinsmith, Forbes, 21 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for clown
Recent Examples of Synonyms for clown
Noun
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But this harlequin moll can’t match Joker’s lunacy as either lawbreaker or musician.—
Armond White,
National Review,
29 Nov. 2024
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The doll, which is called the Witch Weaver, wears flared bell-bottoms, a gossamer harlequin blouse, gold waistcoat and crystal headpiece — taking inspiration from Reed’s signature design codes, personal style and even Lady Gaga.—
Violet Goldstone,
WWD,
21 Nov. 2024
Verb
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As with a number of her other roles, Erivo takes full advantage of her multifaceted skill set — the voice and the acting chops — to deliver a nuanced portrayal of a complicated legend masquerading as a mortal woman.—
Sezin Koehler,
EW.com,
28 Feb. 2025
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This is desperation masquerading as generosity, and nobody should be fooled.—
Jeffrey Sonnenfeld and Steven Tian,
TIME,
26 Feb. 2025
Verb
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Popular freezer hacks include saving Parmesan rinds to deepen the flavor of soups, cutting up loaves of bread for toast, and even storing homemade jam without all the mess of canning.—
Meghan McCarron,
The Atlantic,
18 Feb. 2025
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By sector, technology suffered the worst, with job cuts up 128 percent on-month to 7,488, followed by automotive (123 percent), services (106 percent), retail (96 percent), and media and news (27 percent).—
Dan Perry,
Newsweek,
13 Feb. 2025
Noun
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The character with which I have been identified, that of the raucous buffoon, is merely a studied portrayal.—
Bill Wyman,
Vulture,
28 Feb. 2025
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Tedros is part mastermind, part buffoon, part cult leader, and all sleaze.—
Carrie Battan,
The New Yorker,
5 Feb. 2025
Noun
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On that note…being concise doesn’t mean being a total jerk either.—
Jenna Ryu,
SELF,
5 Mar. 2025
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Rockwell's Officer Dixon, a mama’s boy with a screw loose and a history of torturing Black prisoners, is a target of her ire − that is, until the actor carefully adds layers to what could be a one-note jerk. 14.—
Brian Truitt,
USA TODAY,
28 Feb. 2025
Verb
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At the same time, one player becomes the first person in history to successfully mime The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Rotations, which the others get right away.—
Jeremy Fassler,
Vulture,
2 Mar. 2025
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Since their environment lacks reality, the actors freeze (Flockhart), turn glumly inward (Hoffman), or mime their way through things.—
Helen Shaw,
The New Yorker,
28 Feb. 2025
Verb
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Elsewhere, two boys, Frank and Alain, get up to assorted mischief, sneaking onto a baseball diamond at night or horsing around on railroad tracks, although there are hints that Frank’s family may leave Cuba soon.—
Ben Kenigsberg,
New York Times,
9 Jan. 2025
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In the video, Payne is shown horsing around with a large outdoor crowd and his bandmates, encouraging the fans to quiet their screaming and then raise the volume all the way back up.—
Clare Mulroy,
USA TODAY,
3 Feb. 2025
Noun
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Getting into Gillis’ monologue, like Dave Chappelle and many other stand-ups who’ve hosted over the years the comedian kicked off his second stint by re-hashing some of his regular bits, as well as introducing some new jokes to the Studio 8H crowd.—
Harrison Richlin,
IndieWire,
2 Mar. 2025
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Peter Falk appreciated a good Columbo impression — at least according to actor and comedian Kevin Pollak! Pollak — who is known for his stellar impressions — recently spoke to PEOPLE exclusively while attending the premiere of the new show Nine Bodies in a Mexican Morgue in Culver City, Calif.—
Toria Sheffield,
People.com,
2 Mar. 2025
Articles Related to clown
Cite this Entry
“Clown.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/clown. Accessed 12 Mar. 2025.
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