clown

1 of 2

noun

1
2
: a rude ill-bred person : boor
3
a
: a fool, jester, or comedian in an entertainment (such as a play)
specifically : a grotesquely dressed comedy performer in a circus
b
: a person who habitually jokes and plays the buffoon

clown

2 of 2

verb

clowned; clowning; clowns

intransitive verb

: to act as or like a clown
always clowning around

Examples of clown in a Sentence

Noun Those big shoes make you look like a clown! Who's the clown standing in the middle of the road? those clowns at the state capital Verb as a youngster he was always clowning around in the classroom
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Noun
The clowns there, contributed by donors worldwide, are not for sale. Christopher Reynolds, Los Angeles Times, 3 Dec. 2024 The parade’s 98th year was the largest yet, with more than 5,000 volunteers, 17 character balloons, 22 floats, 15 heritage and novelty balloons, more than 700 clowns, 11 marching bands and 10 performance groups. Violet Goldstone, WWD, 30 Nov. 2024
Verb
The line seemingly refers to him clowning Black women on his Flagrant podcast while speaking to Shxtsngigs hosts James Duncan and Fuhad Dawodu, who apologized for laughing at his remarks. Amber Corrine, VIBE.com, 9 Dec. 2024 But getting clowned on (and tea-bagged) by your victims? A.a. Dowd, Vulture, 13 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for clown 

Word History

Etymology

Noun

probably of Low German origin; akin to Frisian klönne clumsy fellow, Old English clyne lump of metal

First Known Use

Noun

1563, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1599, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of clown was in 1563

Dictionary Entries Near clown

Cite this Entry

“Clown.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/clown. Accessed 21 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

clown

1 of 2 noun
1
: a rude and often stupid person
2
: a performer (as in a play or circus) who usually wears funny clothes and makeup and tries to make people laugh
clownish
ˈklau̇-nish
adjective
clownishly adverb
clownishness noun

clown

2 of 2 verb
: to act like a clown

More from Merriam-Webster on clown

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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