clownish

adjective

clown·​ish ˈklau̇-nish How to pronounce clownish (audio)
: 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
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.
Redheads often fielded comments related to having a hot temper, being clownish, weirdness, Irishness, not capable of being in the sun, being wild (among women), wimpy (among men), and intellectually superior. David Faris, Newsweek, 19 Jan. 2025 As vice-president, Kamala Harris was generally regarded as unimpressive and slightly clownish, with her banal repetitions and too-frequent outbursts of too-exuberant laughter. Avi Nelson, Boston Herald, 30 Oct. 2024 Its members' firm repudiation of the unqualified and clownish Matt Gaetz for attorney general shows that its members can still stiffen their sinews and summon up the courage to curb President-elect Donald Trump's appetite for surrounding himself with sycophantic boobs. Yaakov Katz, Newsweek, 27 Nov. 2024 Before news of the repression broke, many Western media stories about Chechen Republic Head Ramzan Kadyrov portrayed him as a clownish dictator obsessed with his Instagram account. Layla Taimienova, Foreign Affairs, 10 May 2017 See all Example Sentences for clownish 

Word History

First Known Use

1563, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of clownish was in 1563

Dictionary Entries Near clownish

Cite this Entry

“Clownish.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/clownish. Accessed 31 Jan. 2025.

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