Meaning & use
a circus
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Meanings
nouncountable
A group of performers, often with clowns and acrobats, who entertain in a big tent or arena.
Grammar: Countable: one circus, two circuses.
Patterns
- go to a circus
- see a circus
- a circus performance
We took the children to a circus last weekend.
The circus had elephants, clowns, and acrobats.
She ran away to join a circus when she was young.
nouncountable
A public event where performers do tricks, often in a large tent.
Grammar: Countable: a circus, the circus.
Patterns
- at a circus
- the circus is in town
The circus is in town for one week only.
Tickets to a circus can be expensive.
The circus parade went down Main Street.
nounsingularinformal
A busy, confusing, or chaotic situation or event.
Grammar: Usually singular, often with 'a' or 'the'.
Patterns
- a circus of something
- it was a circus
The meeting turned into a circus when everyone started shouting.
The airport was a circus during the holiday rush.
The press conference was a complete circus.
Word forms
| plural | circuses |
|---|
Common combinations
- circus act
- The trapeze artists performed a daring circus act.
- circus ring
- The lion tamer entered the circus ring.
- three-ring circus
- The party was like a three-ring circus with activities everywhere.
Synonyms and how they differ
Word family
- circus noun
- The base form.
Commonly confused: a circus or circle?
a circus vs circle
Circle is a round shape; circus is the entertainment event.
Practice
The children were excited to see the clowns and acrobats at the ______.
Choose one answer.
A circus is where you see clowns and acrobats. 'Circle' is a shape, 'circuit' is a path, and 'circumstance' means a condition.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “a circus”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.