clownish

adjective

clown·ish ˈklau̇-nish

Synonyms of clownish next

: resembling or befitting a clown (as in ignorance and lack of sophistication)

clownishly adverb

clownishness noun

Choose the Right Synonym for clownish

boorish, churlish, loutish, clownish mean uncouth in manners or appearance.

boorish implies rudeness of manner due to insensitiveness to others' feelings and unwillingness to be agreeable.

a drunk's boorish behavior

churlish suggests surliness, unresponsiveness, and ungraciousness.

churlish remarks

loutish implies bodily awkwardness together with stupidity.

a loutish oaf

clownish suggests ill-bred awkwardness, ignorance or stupidity, ungainliness, and often a propensity for absurd antics.

an adolescent's clownish conduct

Examples of clownish in a Sentence

the clownish antics of some of the teenagers at the wedding reception

Recent Examples on the Web Everyone wants to see this clownish, larger-than-life villain. —

Peter Rainer, The Christian Science Monitor, 4 Oct. 2024 In the days after the protests came the death of former CCP General Secretary Jiang Zemin, an avuncular and garrulous (if sometimes clownish) leader. —

Orville Schell, Foreign Affairs, 5 Dec. 2022 That’s when the descriptions of the clownish gunman surfaced. —

Nate Gartrell, The Mercury News, 9 Aug. 2024 Del Real: Re has something very playful and absurd about it, without becoming clownish. —

Ernesto Lechner, Rolling Stone, 22 July 2024 See all Example Sentences for clownish

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'clownish.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.