1
as in comedy
humorous entertainment
an actor whose roles range from slapstick to serious drama
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2
as in hijinks
wildly playful or mischievous behavior
a lowbrow comedy that relies heavily on slapstick for its laughs
Synonyms & Similar Words
as in zany
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Examples Sentences
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Recent Examples of slapstick
Tribune News Service, The Mercury News, 19 Nov. 2024
Much of the film, especially once the fixers arrive, plays almost like slapstick.
—Peter Rainer, The Christian Science Monitor, 17 Oct. 2024
Before him, the humor was based more on hard slapstick than character identification, and his Little Tramp became one of film’s most recognizable creations.
—Mark Olsen, Los Angeles Times, 27 Sep. 2024
Inspired by Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night, the film offers a clever and modern twist on the classic mistaken identity trope, blending slapstick comedy with moments of genuine heart.
—Jane Lacroix, People.com, 2 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for slapstick 
Noun
Even a black-and-white, near-silent slapstick comedy about a 19th-century trapper battling beavers.
—Tribune News Service, The Mercury News, 19 Nov. 2024
Much of the film, especially once the fixers arrive, plays almost like slapstick.
—Peter Rainer, The Christian Science Monitor, 17 Oct. 2024
Before him, the humor was based more on hard slapstick than character identification, and his Little Tramp became one of film’s most recognizable creations.
—Mark Olsen, Los Angeles Times, 27 Sep. 2024
Inspired by Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night, the film offers a clever and modern twist on the classic mistaken identity trope, blending slapstick comedy with moments of genuine heart.
—Jane Lacroix, People.com, 2 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for slapstick
Recent Examples of Synonyms for slapstick
Noun
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The writers behind some of this year’s hottest comedy series took on Variety’s A Night in the Writers Room: Awards Season Edition to discuss the landscape of laughter on TV.Ethan Shanfeld, Variety, 6 Dec. 2024
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The singer’s 50-minute segment, A Nonsense Christmas With Sabrina Carpenter, streaming as of the evening of Friday, Dec. 6 contained several familiar faces, both musically and in the comedy and acting worlds.Dessi Gomez, Deadline, 6 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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Technically, the music is about the obliteration of human consciousness upon coming into contact with an alien text, and that zany premise is the appeal.Stephen Kearse, TIME, 8 Dec. 2024
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This unlikely crew bands together for a zany mission full of hijinks and false starts.Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 6 Dec. 2024
Noun
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Directed by Sidney Poitier, the film paired Poitier with Bill Cosby and Harry Belafonte in a story that was filled with humor, heart, and sharp cultural insight.Shelby Stewart, Essence, 17 Dec. 2024
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Through these two characters, the film blends touching moments, humor, and a very realistic depiction of navigating love and relationships in a bustling urban environment.Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 17 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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Its members' firm repudiation of the unqualified and clownish Matt Gaetz for attorney general shows that its members can still stiffen their sinews and summon up the courage to curb President-elect Donald Trump's appetite for surrounding himself with sycophantic boobs.Yaakov Katz, Newsweek, 27 Nov. 2024
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Before news of the repression broke, many Western media stories about Chechen Republic Head Ramzan Kadyrov portrayed him as a clownish dictator obsessed with his Instagram account.Layla Taimienova, Foreign Affairs, 10 May 2017
Noun
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Sacks produced the satire Thank You for Smoking and Daliland.Ted Johnson, Deadline, 5 Dec. 2024
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Staples turns that set-up into a hilarious and slightly surreal satire about the challenges facing Black entrepreneurs.EW Staff, EW.com, 5 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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Other videos don’t end so super—with a range of different crashes resulting, which may seem amusing to watch.Bruce Y. Lee, Forbes, 12 Dec. 2024
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Additional viewers found the segment to be amusing, with several enjoying the Port Authority joke.Caroline Thayer, Fox News, 8 Dec. 2024
Noun
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Famously, Tommy Lee Jones could not sanction Jim Carrey’s buffoonery on Batman Forever.Bethy Squires, Vulture, 2 Oct. 2024
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But conservatism ought not to be equated with populist buffoonery and mendacity.Jay Nordlinger, National Review, 14 Oct. 2024
Adjective
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Big-batch recipes are not only a foolproof entertaining trick, but those big, beautiful bowls filled with punch look impressive too.Krissy Tiglias, Southern Living, 16 Dec. 2024
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Develop a cohesive plan that focuses on deploying the infrastructure to make the experience more engaging, informative and entertaining.Tamara Bebb, Forbes, 16 Dec. 2024
Articles Related to slapstick
Thesaurus Entries Near slapstick
Cite this Entry
“Slapstick.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/slapstick. Accessed 21 Dec. 2024.
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