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
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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
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Examples Sentences
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Recent Examples of circus
Now, depending on how quickly the Jets have a new GM and a new coach, the circus of will-he-or-won’t-he?
—
Mike Lupica, New York Daily News, 4 Jan. 2025
The crime and trial fueled a gruesome media circus that drove the Lindberghs to Europe—and Hauptmann to the electric chair.
Lindbergh and his wife, Anne, lived on a country estate near Hopewell, New Jersey.
—Sonja Anderson, Smithsonian Magazine, 2 Jan. 2025
Eventually, tired of the media circus that surrounded Lindbergh’s life and the tragedy of his son’s death, the family moved to England in 1935.
—Sonja Anderson, Smithsonian Magazine, 2 Jan. 2025
Manchester United’s final game of 2024 felt like the moment the big top on the Old Trafford circus started to sink.
—Laurie Whitwell, The Athletic, 31 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for circus 
Mike Lupica, New York Daily News, 4 Jan. 2025
The crime and trial fueled a gruesome media circus that drove the Lindberghs to Europe—and Hauptmann to the electric chair.
Lindbergh and his wife, Anne, lived on a country estate near Hopewell, New Jersey.
—Sonja Anderson, Smithsonian Magazine, 2 Jan. 2025
Eventually, tired of the media circus that surrounded Lindbergh’s life and the tragedy of his son’s death, the family moved to England in 1935.
—Sonja Anderson, Smithsonian Magazine, 2 Jan. 2025
Manchester United’s final game of 2024 felt like the moment the big top on the Old Trafford circus started to sink.
—Laurie Whitwell, The Athletic, 31 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for circus
Recent Examples of Synonyms for circus
Noun
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But as cultures, as worlds, the runway and the stadium kept their distance, with rare exceptions (David Beckham, the Williams sisters) proving the rule.Maya Singer, Vogue, 8 Jan. 2025
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Tuesday, the football stadium of Palisades Charter High School was partially up in flames.Stephanie Giang-Paunon, Fox News, 8 Jan. 2025
Noun
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Jessica Chastain, The Eyes of Tammy Faye Welcome to the madhouse.Vulture, Vulture, 28 Feb. 2022
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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
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Moody bested more than 30 other hometown girls in a pageant that judged them on interviews, public speaking, swimsuits and beauty.Dan Sullivan, Miami Herald, 17 Jan. 2025
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She was crowned Miss Oklahoma six years later and subsequently represented the state in the 1958 Miss America pageant, finishing third, per Edmond Live & Leisure.Jack Irvin, People.com, 10 Jan. 2025
Noun
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The arena’s gate, for example, stands 6 meters higher than that of the original coliseum to allow for the mast of a boat to enter the space in a pivotal scene.Andrés Buenahora, Variety, 10 Jan. 2025
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What, then, does the sequel bring to the proverbial coliseum?Erik Kain, Forbes, 27 Nov. 2024
Noun
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The bedlam came during the third quarter of the game in Nanterre, France, which was part of the FIBA Basketball Champions League.Bradford Betz, Fox News, 19 Dec. 2024
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The idea is to bring an irreverent, underground, at times almost Dada-ist sensibility to network television, but that also means surrounding himself with people whose own factory settings are bedlam and cynicism.Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 27 Sep. 2024
Noun
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National Zoo members can get a sneak peak from January 10–19, 2025, while the Asia Trail exhibit will open to the public on January 24, 2025.Kaeli Conforti, Forbes, 6 Jan. 2025
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The letter to the attorney general was included as an exhibit in a simultaneous effort by Trump's former codefendants in the classified documents case to ask a court to intervene and stop the release of the special counsel's report.Robert Legare, CBS News, 6 Jan. 2025
Noun
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The Breda panopticon was acquired by Being and VDD Project Development and is set to open in 2028 as an exhibition space for audio-visual projects.The Editors of ARTnews, ARTnews.com, 8 Jan. 2025
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His first real responsibility that preseason was running point on the scouting report for Division II Barry, Auburn’s preseason exhibition opponent — which wound up beating Auburn 100-95 in overtime.Brendan Marks, The Athletic, 7 Jan. 2025
Noun
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Photograph: Anton Petrus/Getty Images Hot on the tail of the Quadrantids meteor shower, another spectacle in the sky is about to arrive: comet Atlas C/2024 G3, which will reach perihelion—the point of its orbit closest to the sun—on January 13.Marta Musso, WIRED, 11 Jan. 2025
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An eerie spectacle awaited Roy Claytor, the first rescuer aboard.Robert Klara, Smithsonian Magazine, 9 Jan. 2025
Thesaurus Entries Near circus
Cite this Entry
“Circus.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/circus. Accessed 20 Jan. 2025.
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