Meaning & use
rodeo clown
Last updated
Meaning
nouncountableAmerican
A costumed performer at a rodeo who entertains the crowd and distracts bulls so fallen riders can escape safely.
Grammar: Takes an or the: a rodeo clown ran into the arena.
Patterns
- work as a rodeo clown
- a rodeo clown distracts something
The rodeo clown darted in front of the bull as the rider hit the dirt.
As a boy he dreamed of becoming a rodeo clown.
Crowds laughed at the rodeo clown's jokes between events.
Word forms
| plural | rodeo clowns |
|---|
Common combinations
- veteran rodeo clown
- The veteran rodeo clown has protected riders for twenty years.
- rodeo clown and bullfighter
- A rodeo clown and bullfighter often share the job.
- hire a rodeo clown
- The fair hired a rodeo clown for the weekend show.
- rodeo clown costume
- His rodeo clown costume included baggy overalls and face paint.
- like a rodeo clown
- He dodged the angry questions like a rodeo clown dodging a bull.
Synonyms and how they differ
- bullfighter
- Bullfighter stresses the protective job in the arena, while rodeo clown highlights the costume and comedy.
- barrelman
- A barrelman is a clown who works from a padded barrel as a safe spot and is a narrower, more traditional term.
- clown
- Clown is a general entertainer, while a rodeo clown has a specific safety role in the arena.
Word family
Commonly confused: rodeo clown or rodeo clown vs. circus clown?
rodeo clown vs rodeo clown vs. circus clown
A circus clown only entertains, while a rodeo clown also protects riders from danger.
Practice
When the bull threw its rider, the ___ ran in to lure the animal away.
Choose one answer.
A rodeo clown distracts bulls to protect fallen riders. A ringmaster runs a circus, a jester entertains a court, and an auctioneer sells goods.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “rodeo clown”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.