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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1
2
as in to cut up
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Examples Sentences
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Recent Examples of clown
Lisa Shames, Chicago Tribune, 25 Nov. 2024
Streaming holiday films:Best Christmas movies on Netflix, Hulu, Peacock, Disney+, Max?
How to watch Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
This year's parade includes 22 floats, 17 character balloons, 15 heritage or novelty balloons and more than 700 clowns, according to NBC.
—Jenny Porter Tilley, The Indianapolis Star, 28 Nov. 2024
Bryan West, USA TODAY, 19 Oct. 2024
Dash later attempted to squash any jokes by stating that his grill fell out of his mouth, but 50 had already moved to clown the mogul for the mishap.
—Marc Griffin, VIBE.com, 24 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for clown 
Noun
The unpacking of it resembles those circus clown cars with item after item endlessly coming out.
—Lisa Shames, Chicago Tribune, 25 Nov. 2024
Streaming holiday films:Best Christmas movies on Netflix, Hulu, Peacock, Disney+, Max?
How to watch Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
This year's parade includes 22 floats, 17 character balloons, 15 heritage or novelty balloons and more than 700 clowns, according to NBC.
—Jenny Porter Tilley, The Indianapolis Star, 28 Nov. 2024
Verb
Time will tell, and fans will pass that time clowning.
—Bryan West, USA TODAY, 19 Oct. 2024
Dash later attempted to squash any jokes by stating that his grill fell out of his mouth, but 50 had already moved to clown the mogul for the mishap.
—Marc Griffin, VIBE.com, 24 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for clown
Recent Examples of Synonyms for clown
Noun
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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
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The doll, which is called the Witch Weaver, wears flared bell-bottoms, a gossamer harlequin blouse, gold waistcoat and crystal headpiece — taking inspiration from Reed’s signature design codes, personal style and even Lady Gaga.Violet Goldstone, WWD, 21 Nov. 2024
Verb
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The chart data comes from the best possible source — our colleagues at Billboard and Luminate, with details below the chart — but the other decisions are ours, based on research, conversations and arguments masquerading as conversations.Jem Aswad, Variety, 6 Dec. 2024
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The title character, played by Katharine Hepburn, spends much of the film masquerading as a boy called Sylvester Scarlett.Jim Hemphill, IndieWire, 4 Dec. 2024
Verb
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President-elect Trump's vow to deport millions of undocumented immigrants could eliminate workers from U.S. industries already projected to face shortages and cut up to 6.8% of the national gross domestic profit.April Rubin, Axios, 19 Nov. 2024
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Advertisement His star turn started in the first quarter, as Lemon caught a kickoff at the goal line, cut up field and blew the game open.Ryan Kartje, Los Angeles Times, 28 Oct. 2024
Noun
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So my place is to play this role of be the little buffoon every now and then.Outside Online, Outside Online, 21 Nov. 2024
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There are colorful characters, but no bombastic buffoons.Longreads, Longreads, 15 Nov. 2024
Noun
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The processing fee is absolutely not going to the part-time delivery person, but, rather, to a rich jerk who is golfing right now.Meghana Indurti, The New Yorker, 3 Dec. 2024
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Also, your character’s supposed to be kind of a jerk.Rosy Cordero, Deadline, 2 Dec. 2024
Verb
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In moments like that, Walker’s character might be miming about fisting, but The Big Gay Jamboree’s heart is on its sleeve.Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 8 Oct. 2024
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Most of us were able to chat and wander around in the virtual space together, but one person was stuck miming and occasionally pinging us in Slack.Eric Ravenscraft, WIRED, 3 Jan. 2023
Verb
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After five teenage boys are shown horsing around on a Malibu beach for a few seconds, the shot dissolves into Liam’s perfect coif, his unbuttoned shirt, his disarming smile.Jason Lipshutz, Billboard, 3 Sep. 2019
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The Game of Thrones alum, 28, was seen horsing around with the British aristocrat at a polo match at his family's estate in West Sussex, England on Saturday, June 29.Esther Kang, Peoplemag, 3 July 2024
Noun
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Ellen DeGeneres Looks Back on Her Many Memories with Stephen 'tWitch' Boss 1 Year After His Death: 'Miss Him So Much' In September, the comedian remembered tWitch on his would-be 42nd birthday.Stephanie Wenger, People.com, 14 Dec. 2024
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The 42-year-old comedian appeared on the Wednesday, December 11, episode of The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon and shared insight into life with his and Olivia Munn's two kids: son Malcolm, 3, and daughter Meimei, 3 months.Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 13 Dec. 2024
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Cite this Entry
“Clown.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/clown. Accessed 22 Dec. 2024.
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