1
as in stadium
a large usually roofless building for sporting events with tiers of seats for spectators
the Roman circus is believed to have held 50,000 spectators in ancient times
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in madhouse
a place of uproar or confusion
with seven kids in the house, it's a circus most of the time
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in pageant
an elaborate, visually exciting show or event
the media circus that took place outside the courthouse every day of the murder trial
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of circus
What was expected to be a serious event became a circus as social media influencers at the White House were given binders supposedly containing information about the case.
—
Washington Examiner Staff, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 4 Mar. 2025
The turnover led to a Luka Doncic circus shot that put the Lakers up 117-97 with 4:15 remaining – putting the game out of reach for the Lakers’ first win in Denver since April 2022.
—Khobi Price, Orange County Register, 23 Feb. 2025
Not surprisingly, the king of blunt showmanship loved the circus.
—Will Leitch, Vulture, 3 Mar. 2025
The actress would go on to win an Emmy for the role, and later fronted an additional three seasons of American Horror Story across the next several years, including as a nun in Asylum, a powerful witch in Coven, and the leader of a traveling circus in Freak Show.
—Joey Nolfi, EW.com, 28 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for circus
Washington Examiner Staff, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 4 Mar. 2025
The turnover led to a Luka Doncic circus shot that put the Lakers up 117-97 with 4:15 remaining – putting the game out of reach for the Lakers’ first win in Denver since April 2022.
—Khobi Price, Orange County Register, 23 Feb. 2025
Not surprisingly, the king of blunt showmanship loved the circus.
—Will Leitch, Vulture, 3 Mar. 2025
The actress would go on to win an Emmy for the role, and later fronted an additional three seasons of American Horror Story across the next several years, including as a nun in Asylum, a powerful witch in Coven, and the leader of a traveling circus in Freak Show.
—Joey Nolfi, EW.com, 28 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for circus
Recent Examples of Synonyms for circus
Noun
-
When Hurricane Milton slammed into Florida in October, peeling the roof off Tropicana Field like a ripe orange, the Tampa Bay Rays were left to scramble to find a stadium for the 2025 season.—
Brett Knight,
Forbes,
21 Mar. 2025
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Some of the award-winning wines produced by the estate are being sold in baseball stadiums, such as Oracle Park, home of the San Francisco Giants, and Yankee Stadium, Elite Auctions said in a news release.—
David Caraccio,
Sacramento Bee,
20 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
Jessica Chastain, The Eyes of Tammy Faye Welcome to the madhouse.—
Vulture,
Vulture,
28 Feb. 2022
-
Life around the office, which included a basketball court and beer on tap, was a preview of the headquarters-as-madhouse ethos soon to dominate Silicon Valley.—
Alex Williams,
New York Times,
14 Oct. 2022
Noun
-
Spring's pink pageant is unfolding at the University of Washington, where the Quad's iconic Yoshino cherry trees are nearing peak bloom, an annual tradition that draws thousands of visitors to campus.—
Christine Clarridge,
Axios,
13 Mar. 2025
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But by his own admission, the scribe behind 25 Academy Award ceremonies and more than his fair share of Miss Universe and USA pageants has also penned some real flops.—
Elaina Patton,
IndieWire,
12 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
The lush, five-star, Orange County resort also boasts a striking coliseum pool, ocean-view golf, a handful of bar and dining establishments and plenty of picturesque walking paths.—
Dahvi Shira,
Forbes,
5 Feb. 2025
-
Ridley Scott’s epic return to the coliseum also missed out on best director and leading man, although Denzel Washington — who has never been BAFTA-nominated before — did get a supporting actor slot.—
Alex Ritman,
Variety,
3 Jan. 2025
Noun
-
For example, India—a huge market for most products, services and technologies—may not exactly be ready for a robotaxi (dense population, rules and regulations, traffic bedlams, etc.).—
Punnam Raju Manthena,
Forbes,
7 Mar. 2025
-
Not long after, the catastrophic climate event happened, and bedlam broke out at the facility.—
Kimberly Roots,
TVLine,
4 Mar. 2025
Noun
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The exhibit, which was to open this year to coincide with the two anniversaries, highlights U.S. efforts to address the worst legacies of the war, Rieser said.—
David Rising and Aniruddha Ghosal,
Los Angeles Times,
20 Mar. 2025
-
The exhibit will be open to the public from noon to 6 p.m. on Wednesday, March 19.—
Dominick Williams,
Kansas City Star,
19 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
For two-and-a-half years, curators from Cinémathèque Française and the Design Museum in London pored over a treasure trove of items locked away in Anderson’s storage facility in Kent, England to create the first museum exhibition of his work.—
Harrison Richlin,
IndieWire,
21 Mar. 2025
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The juried art exhibition and sale is open to artists in the suburban Chicago area who specialize in painting, drawing, sculpture, jewelry, photography, pottery, glass, wood and other art forms.—
Michelle Mullins,
Chicago Tribune,
21 Mar. 2025
Noun
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Heavy on spectacle and light on her trademark personal connectivity, Blige’s 100-minute set was hindered by questionable pacing and condensed arrangements that minimized her formidable skills as a vocalist.—
Bob Gendron,
Chicago Tribune,
15 Mar. 2025
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The script is often the same: the crowd swells, accusations fly, fists land, and the spectacle is sometimes even filmed.—
Ismat Ara,
TIME,
15 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Circus.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/circus. Accessed 24 Mar. 2025.
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