1
as in harlequin
a comically dressed performer (as at a circus) who entertains with playful tricks and ridiculous behavior
a clown wearing big floppy shoes and a red wig
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2
as in bastard
a person whose behavior is offensive to others
you should stay away from that clown
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
2
as in to cut up
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of clown
Frederick Dreier, Outside Online, 13 Feb. 2025
Robert Pattinson recalls lying on live TV about seeing clown die in car explosion as a kid: 'What on Earth?'
Pattinson also surprised audiences at the convention, making an unannounced appearance alongside his director.
—Jessica Wang, EW.com, 24 Feb. 2025
Okla Jones, Essence, 28 Feb. 2025
He was clowned for his efforts at making Buzelis sound cool.
—Josh Hammer, Newsweek, 16 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for clown
Noun
One woman, Davina, 41, is described as a hairdresser and a professional clown.
—Frederick Dreier, Outside Online, 13 Feb. 2025
Robert Pattinson recalls lying on live TV about seeing clown die in car explosion as a kid: 'What on Earth?'
Pattinson also surprised audiences at the convention, making an unannounced appearance alongside his director.
—Jessica Wang, EW.com, 24 Feb. 2025
Verb
From Ice Cube and Chris Tucker clowning around in Friday, to Quvenzhané Wallis stealing hearts in Annie, the classics are ready to pull you right back in.
—Okla Jones, Essence, 28 Feb. 2025
He was clowned for his efforts at making Buzelis sound cool.
—Josh Hammer, Newsweek, 16 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for clown
Recent Examples of Synonyms for clown
Noun
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Once infused with the diabolical spirit, the guide is transformed into a buffoon, complete with a harlequin outfit—a mad joker and a dancing fool who does a little jig to the sound of a jazz trio.—
Richard Brody,
The New Yorker,
11 Mar. 2025
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But this harlequin moll can’t match Joker’s lunacy as either lawbreaker or musician.—
Armond White,
National Review,
29 Nov. 2024
Verb
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One glaring example of compliance masquerading as defiance is voting along party lines out of tradition or allegiance, rather than values.—
Sunita Sah,
Twin Cities,
9 Mar. 2025
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Notably, however, wolfsbane also masquerades as a number of other animal-bane compounds: fox-bane is a species of monkshood (Aconitum vulparia), and hare’s bane has referred to Aconitum lagoctonum.—
Laura Murphy,
JSTOR Daily,
28 Feb. 2025
Verb
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The short reel shows users how to cut up and tape together cardboard pieces to create a little homemade tool that helps toddlers learn how to fold shirts.—
Adrianna Rodriguez,
USA TODAY,
10 Mar. 2025
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This tincture spray — made by soaking cut up avocado pits in 91 percent rubbing alcohol overnight — can help with just about any type of pain, one TikTok user claims in a video that has racked up millions of views.—
Tom Gavin,
EverydayHealth.com,
24 Feb. 2025
Noun
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The character with which I have been identified, that of the raucous buffoon, is merely a studied portrayal.—
Bill Wyman,
Vulture,
28 Feb. 2025
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Tedros is part mastermind, part buffoon, part cult leader, and all sleaze.—
Carrie Battan,
The New Yorker,
5 Feb. 2025
Noun
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What a jerk! Neagley fares better, dispatching two button men sent to kill her in her Windy City high-rise office.—
Chris Klimek,
Vulture,
13 Mar. 2025
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If anyone other than Rudd were playing her selfish dad, audiences would be actively rooting for the jerk to get ’corned.—
Peter Debruge,
Variety,
9 Mar. 2025
Verb
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Around the five-second mark in the video, the toddler turns to the camera, still in her mom's arms, to mime along to an expletive in the GloRilla track playing over the video.—
Mark Davis,
Newsweek,
14 Mar. 2025
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In a promotional video for the brand, Sunday Rose mimed playing the flute as the sounds of woodwinds accompanied the video.—
Catherine Santino,
People.com,
12 Mar. 2025
Verb
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Elsewhere, two boys, Frank and Alain, get up to assorted mischief, sneaking onto a baseball diamond at night or horsing around on railroad tracks, although there are hints that Frank’s family may leave Cuba soon.—
Ben Kenigsberg,
New York Times,
9 Jan. 2025
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In the video, Payne is shown horsing around with a large outdoor crowd and his bandmates, encouraging the fans to quiet their screaming and then raise the volume all the way back up.—
Clare Mulroy,
USA TODAY,
3 Feb. 2025
Noun
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Over 20 tracks Burnham (who was already a successful comedian and filmmaker prior to this Netflix special, though entirely unknown to me) captures the experience of living through the pandemic in a way that felt both blisteringly funny and devastatingly honest.—
Vogue,
Vogue,
14 Mar. 2025
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But the next hour made clear the comedian and his collaborators forgot, and in fact changed, very little from that initial sprint.—
Alison Herman,
Variety,
13 Mar. 2025
Articles Related to clown
Cite this Entry
“Clown.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/clown. Accessed 24 Mar. 2025.
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