as in clown
a comically dressed performer (as at a circus) who entertains with playful tricks and ridiculous behavior
in the comic opera, the buffo shared his entrance aria with a grimacing mime
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Recent Examples of buffo
Instead of the buffo landlord Benoit coming for the rent, the four Bohemians impersonate him themselves in a skit that was a little beyond the L.A. cast’s comic skills.
—
Los Angeles Times, 15 Sep. 2019
Alessandro Corbelli brought seasoned basso-buffo authority to the manipulative Alfonso.
—John Von Rhein, chicagotribune.com, 18 Feb. 2018
Los Angeles Times, 15 Sep. 2019
Alessandro Corbelli brought seasoned basso-buffo authority to the manipulative Alfonso.
—John Von Rhein, chicagotribune.com, 18 Feb. 2018
Recent Examples of Synonyms for buffo
Noun
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Three years have passed since the stadium-sized clown show of the duo’s last record, 10,000 gecs, and Brady’s been feverishly cooking up unlikely collaborations and solo material.—
Kieran Press-Reynolds,
Pitchfork,
27 Mar. 2026
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Christopher Kosakowski, United States, 2025 A circus clown celebrating his birthday alone receives a mysterious gift box harboring an antique zoetrope that spins his world into mayhem.—
William Earl,
Variety,
25 Mar. 2026
Noun
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The spill hit 1,300 miles of coastline, leading to the deaths of about 900 bald eagles, 300 seals, 1,000 harlequin ducks, 2,800 sea otters and 250,000 seabirds, according to the conservation group Oceana.—
Arizona Republic,
AZCentral.com,
24 Mar. 2026
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If the Brits are anything to go by, feather boas and harlequin jumpsuits are out, and French-girl flats are in.—
Alice Newbold,
Vogue,
28 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Buffo.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/buffo. Accessed 4 Apr. 2026.
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