Thesaurus results for BUFFOON

buffoon

noun

(ˌ)bə-ˈfün

Definition of buffoon

as in clown

a comically dressed performer (as at a circus) who entertains with playful tricks and ridiculous behavior the children at the birthday party giggled at the buffoon's silly tricks

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of buffoon He is looked upon as a bloviating buffoon, not to be believed or taken seriously. — Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 11 Apr. 2026 Playing alongside Clarence Muse, who portrays a tenant farmer, Fetchit was cast as the clichéd buffoon, lazy and happy-go-lucky. — Literary Hub, 25 Mar. 2026 So the Dolphins haven’t totally escaped their buffoon-like past with Ross at the helm. — Chris Perkins, Sun Sentinel, 17 Feb. 2026 The movie is like a version of Waiting for Guffman (1996) in which the Christopher Guest character was not a buffoon but an earnest striver with grit and (significant) talent. — Peter Tonguette, The Washington Examiner, 9 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for buffoon

Recent Examples of Synonyms for buffoon

clown

Noun

But my favorite Tim Curry performance will always be Pennywise, the clown in Tommy Lee Wallace’s 1990 miniseries adaptation of Stephen King’s It, which, compared to Andy Muschietti’s mega popular pair of films, is modest, even a little lame.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 28 Aug. 2026
Curry, who died Tuesday at 80, made a gleefully evil turn as a clown that sparked nightmares for legions of Gen X and millennial viewers that continue to haunt to this day.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 26 Aug. 2026

Definition of clown

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buffo

buffoon

buffoonery

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“Buffoon.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/buffoon. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of buffoon

noun

Example Sentences

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