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
Joe Buscaglia, The Athletic, 10 Jan. 2025
Both movies feature a killer clown, but while Joaquin Phoenix’s grinning menace suffers from delusions of grandeur and an unspecified mental illness, the hideous ghoul from hell in Terrifier known as Art hacks away at his victims with no discernible motivation beyond the grisly acts themselves.
—Eric Kohn, The Hollywood Reporter, 6 Jan. 2025
Bethy Squires, Vulture, 16 July 2024
So when clowning, remember Swift is a smart business woman.
—Bryan West, The Tennessean, 20 June 2024
See all Example Sentences for clown 
Noun
In sixth grade, for various reasons, including being a class clown, McDermott was held back a year in school.
—Joe Buscaglia, The Athletic, 10 Jan. 2025
Both movies feature a killer clown, but while Joaquin Phoenix’s grinning menace suffers from delusions of grandeur and an unspecified mental illness, the hideous ghoul from hell in Terrifier known as Art hacks away at his victims with no discernible motivation beyond the grisly acts themselves.
—Eric Kohn, The Hollywood Reporter, 6 Jan. 2025
Verb
To paraphrase a French clowning instructor, a little cursive singing is okay, but a lot is more difficult.
—Bethy Squires, Vulture, 16 July 2024
So when clowning, remember Swift is a smart business woman.
—Bryan West, The Tennessean, 20 June 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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Cursory knowledge masquerading as wisdom in an organization never turns out well.—
Doug Sundheim,
Forbes,
18 Jan. 2025
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For Truth, a day of action calling to stop lies to masquerade as truth in social media, real life, and politics.—
Michael Gfoeller And David H. Rundell,
Newsweek,
15 Jan. 2025
Verb
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Egg cartons can be cut up, painted, decorated, and glued to be turned into animals, flowers, containers, and whatever else children can dream up.—
Rabekah Henderson,
Southern Living,
19 Jan. 2025
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Separately, Terrence Hayes, spokesperson for the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, offered condolences to the family of Victor Honey, a homeless veteran whose body was cut up and leased out to medical device companies and the Army without his consent or his relatives’ knowledge.—
Mike Hixenbaugh,
NBC News,
27 Dec. 2024
Noun
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Since graduation, Chen has racked up assignments in Mozart, Beethoven, Donizetti, Verdi, Wagner, and Puccini with opera companies and symphony orchestras across the United States and in Europe, often as the motormouth buffoons and weasels of classic comedies.—
airmail.news,
airmail.news,
7 Dec. 2024
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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
Noun
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Symptoms include: Hallucinations or delusions Increased heart rate Nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea Dizziness Muscle jerks Sweating or flushing Seizures Effexor is not approved for children but is sometimes used off-label for anxiety and depression disorders.—
Jessica Swirble,
Verywell Health,
17 Jan. 2025
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Among the new food items on sale during the Seven Seas Food Festival will be Jamaican jerk chicken and pork pincho at the Caribbean Market; garlic toast chicken parmigiana (Italian Market), strawberry pouffe (Irish Market) and veggie samosas (Indian market).—
Dewayne Bevil,
Orlando Sentinel,
15 Jan. 2025
Verb
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However, he had been fired from the band before the album’s release, due to disagreements with frontman David Coverdale, and saw two other guitarists miming his parts in the songs’ videos and touring extensively with the band during its peak years.—
Jem Aswad,
Variety,
20 Jan. 2025
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To demonstrate, Snoop stood up and mimed placing a shower cap over a smoke detector, humorously acting out the move by climbing onto Kimmel’s couch, drawing roaring laughter from the audience.—
Jessica Lynch,
Billboard,
3 Sep. 2019
Verb
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The unidentified pre-teen was horsing around and throwing snowballs in Connecticut’s capital city with an 11-year-old friend, local ABC affiliate WTNH reported.—
Joseph Wilkinson,
New York Daily News,
23 Jan. 2025
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Among racing’s many problems is that there are no dedicated air shipping companies that make moving horses around the country easy.—
John Cherwa,
Los Angeles Times,
25 Dec. 2024
Noun
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The comedian hopes the city and its population can all take some time to process, but understands his responsibility in bringing everyone together and helping people to move forward.—
Harrison Richlin,
IndieWire,
25 Jan. 2025
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But in his everyday style, the comedian is all about striking a balance: Americana with whimsy, streetwear with formalwear.—
Hannah Jackson,
Vogue,
25 Jan. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Clown.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/clown. Accessed 1 Feb. 2025.
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