clownish
adjective
clown·ish
ˈklau̇-nish 
: resembling or befitting a clown (as in ignorance and lack of sophistication)
clownishly
adverb
clownishness
noun
Synonyms
Examples of clownish in a Sentence
the clownish antics of some of the teenagers at the wedding reception
Recent Examples on the Web
Its members' firm repudiation of the unqualified and clownish Matt Gaetz for attorney general shows that its members can still stiffen their sinews and summon up the courage to curb President-elect Donald Trump's appetite for surrounding himself with sycophantic boobs.
—
Yaakov Katz, Newsweek, 27 Nov. 2024
Before news of the repression broke, many Western media stories about Chechen Republic Head Ramzan Kadyrov portrayed him as a clownish dictator obsessed with his Instagram account.
—Layla Taimienova, Foreign Affairs, 10 May 2017
Over the coming days, the owners of Four Seasons Total Landscaping did their patriotic duty and cashed in on their temporary notoriety, selling souvenirs to commemorate the fiasco; to Trump’s detractors, the debacle epitomized the clownish incompetence that had defined his presidency.
—Meredith Blake, Los Angeles Times, 3 Nov. 2024
Characters like Felix and Oswald have kind of an unfortunate connection to theater insofar as they’re associated with blackface minstrelsy—the notoriously racist form of stage performance where actors would blacken their faces, wear white gloves, and perform clownish antics.
—Tim Brinkhof, JSTOR Daily, 9 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for clownish 
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.
Yaakov Katz, Newsweek, 27 Nov. 2024
Before news of the repression broke, many Western media stories about Chechen Republic Head Ramzan Kadyrov portrayed him as a clownish dictator obsessed with his Instagram account.
—Layla Taimienova, Foreign Affairs, 10 May 2017
Over the coming days, the owners of Four Seasons Total Landscaping did their patriotic duty and cashed in on their temporary notoriety, selling souvenirs to commemorate the fiasco; to Trump’s detractors, the debacle epitomized the clownish incompetence that had defined his presidency.
—Meredith Blake, Los Angeles Times, 3 Nov. 2024
Characters like Felix and Oswald have kind of an unfortunate connection to theater insofar as they’re associated with blackface minstrelsy—the notoriously racist form of stage performance where actors would blacken their faces, wear white gloves, and perform clownish antics.
—Tim Brinkhof, JSTOR Daily, 9 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for clownish
Articles Related to clownish
Dictionary Entries Near clownish
Cite this Entry
“Clownish.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/clownish. Accessed 22 Dec. 2024.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share