Meaning & use

clown

noun·Everyday

A performer who wears colorful costumes and makeup and acts foolishly to entertain people.

See it in a sentence

A clown handed out balloons to children waiting outside the circus tent.

He acted like such a clown at the meeting that no one took his idea seriously.

A note on using this word

Clown can be literal for a circus performer or, informally, an insult for someone who behaves foolishly.

Words with a similar meaning

Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.

Another way to use it

2. verb

To behave in a silly or joking way, often to get attention.

Stop clowning around and help me carry these boxes.

Make it your own

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