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
However, their use in circuses and other forms of entertainment has often led to mistreatment.
—
Scott Travers, Forbes, 18 Jan. 2025
So don’t just view the lengthy montage of Lions trick plays as some kind of schoolyard circus act.
—Dan Wiederer, Chicago Tribune, 23 Jan. 2025
Showing off his new big tent, the returning president played circus master to a strange kind of union.
—Spencer Kornhaber, The Atlantic, 20 Jan. 2025
Meanwhile, Adela, a circus performer, has spent years searching for her daughter, who was abducted by powerful men.
—Carlos Aguilar, Los Angeles Times, 20 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for circus 
Scott Travers, Forbes, 18 Jan. 2025
So don’t just view the lengthy montage of Lions trick plays as some kind of schoolyard circus act.
—Dan Wiederer, Chicago Tribune, 23 Jan. 2025
Showing off his new big tent, the returning president played circus master to a strange kind of union.
—Spencer Kornhaber, The Atlantic, 20 Jan. 2025
Meanwhile, Adela, a circus performer, has spent years searching for her daughter, who was abducted by powerful men.
—Carlos Aguilar, Los Angeles Times, 20 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for circus
Recent Examples of Synonyms for circus
Noun
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Raqqa’s national hospital and stadium were turned into ISIS headquarters, and public executions were carried out in the city’s main square.—
Catherine Nicholls,
CNN,
11 Feb. 2025
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By contrast, each time the Eagles made their way to the end zone, the entire stadium erupted into cheers and chants.—
Alex Ross,
People.com,
11 Feb. 2025
Noun
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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
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Marla, his second, hosted the Miss Universe pageant.—
Dan Alexander,
Forbes,
1 Feb. 2025
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Miss Congeniality, a movie about a fake beauty pageant contestant, hits the streaming site on Feb. 1, while a movie about a real beauty pageant, Miss Italia Mustn't Die, comes out on Feb. 26.—
Olivia B. Waxman,
TIME,
1 Feb. 2025
Noun
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When those ten are selected, cheers ring out from the coliseum grandstands, for these animals are all but guaranteed to attract $20,000 to $30,000 at auction.—
Matthew Adams,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
8 Feb. 2025
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Reata at the Backstage Club, a nostalgic restaurant and bar atop the old rodeo coliseum, is open for dinner five days a week and lunch weekends.—
Bud Kennedy,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
13 Jan. 2025
Noun
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The hallway outside the Hollis apartment by now is complete bedlam: Drop the f—--g knife!—
Carol Marbin Miller,
Miami Herald,
8 Jan. 2025
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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
Noun
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Thomas reasoned that the museum hadn’t guided its staff properly in how to implement Trump’s executive order, and assured reporters the exhibit had been uncovered since.—
The Editors of ARTnews,
ARTnews.com,
11 Feb. 2025
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Explanatory poster-sized signs are placed throughout the exhibit, covering the history of the house and the Clemens family’s attraction to Hartford.—
Christopher Arnott,
Hartford Courant,
9 Feb. 2025
Noun
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The winning proposal includes an exhibition hall, a 500-room hotel, a 3,000-seat theater, 10 restaurants and 4,000 gaming positions — twice that of any other casino in the state.—
Robert Channick,
Chicago Tribune,
10 Feb. 2025
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The pre-sale exhibition, also in Diriyah, saw almost 2,500 visitors and the panel discussions more than 700 people.—
George Nelson,
ARTnews.com,
10 Feb. 2025
Noun
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Never part of a gallery, Hendry started showing her work in custom environments that became spectacles, beginning with Monochrome, a kind of life-size dollhouse in which each of seven rooms was decorated in a single, blaring color.—
Adriane Quinlan,
Curbed,
7 Feb. 2025
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Hill’s life and career reside in Miami now, a world away from Kansas City and what must feel even farther from the spectacle of a Super Bowl week in New Orleans.—
Kansas City Star,
Orlando Sentinel,
6 Feb. 2025
Thesaurus Entries Near circus
Cite this Entry
“Circus.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/circus. Accessed 21 Feb. 2025.
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