1
as in stadium
a large usually roofless building for sporting events with tiers of seats for spectators
the Roman circus is believed to have held 50,000 spectators in ancient times
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in madhouse
a place of uproar or confusion
with seven kids in the house, it's a circus most of the time
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in pageant
an elaborate, visually exciting show or event
the media circus that took place outside the courthouse every day of the murder trial
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of circus
This multicultural circus indulges the racial stereotyping that should be Hwang’s subject.
—
Armond White, National Review, 21 May 2025
His go-to move was banging pots and pans while walking through the house singing circus music and calling everyone else in the house a meatball.
—Dalton Ross, EW.com, 20 May 2025
The event features live performances., including traditional folklórico dance, live bands, a water circus and the transformation of a full-sized car into a towering BIG BEE robot.
—Anne Gelhaus, Mercury News, 11 May 2025
Then Portugal’s staff get angry about people trying to get into the background, summing up what really is a bit of a circus.
—Tim Spiers, New York Times, 15 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for circus
Armond White, National Review, 21 May 2025
His go-to move was banging pots and pans while walking through the house singing circus music and calling everyone else in the house a meatball.
—Dalton Ross, EW.com, 20 May 2025
The event features live performances., including traditional folklórico dance, live bands, a water circus and the transformation of a full-sized car into a towering BIG BEE robot.
—Anne Gelhaus, Mercury News, 11 May 2025
Then Portugal’s staff get angry about people trying to get into the background, summing up what really is a bit of a circus.
—Tim Spiers, New York Times, 15 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for circus
Recent Examples of Synonyms for circus
Noun
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The General Assembly adjourned its spring session without passing legislation to address the $771 million fiscal shortfall faced by Chicago-area mass transit, and also took no action on proposals to help the Chicago Bears relocate to a new stadium in the northwest suburbs.—
Dan Petrella,
Chicago Tribune,
1 June 2025
-
The feeling of everyone supporting the same team in a single stadium is special.—
Charlie Eccleshare,
New York Times,
1 June 2025
Noun
-
The madhouse of awards season and all its many, many controversies — not to mention an ongoing parade of natural and man-made disasters — has until now perhaps overshadowed some of the year’s lower-stakes joys.—
Bilge Ebiri,
Vulture,
6 Mar. 2025
-
But things move fast in the Goodison madhouse.—
Greg O'Keeffe,
The Athletic,
9 Jan. 2025
Noun
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But her father, who is 49, sat next to her boyfriend at the pageant.—
Katherine Rosman,
New York Times,
20 May 2025
-
Considering recent press attention on Hudson and Belichick, the Miss Maine USA contestant — who competed in the pageant in 2024 as well, previously placing second — could be using the song to characterize her own situation.—
Zoey Lyttle,
People.com,
19 May 2025
Noun
-
Situated directly below the Main Stand, players can hear everything happening above, like gladiators waiting to enter the coliseum.—
Patrick Boyland,
New York Times,
15 May 2025
-
Newsletter Sign up for our email newsletter for the latest science news Tales of gladiators going head-to-head with ferocious lions in ancient Rome’s coliseum are legendary.—
Paul Smaglik,
Discover Magazine,
23 Apr. 2025
Noun
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What ensued was pure bedlam at Ball Arena, the crowd going ballistic as the captain scored his first goal since June 20, 2022, in Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Final versus Tampa Bay.—
Pierre LeBrun,
New York Times,
27 Apr. 2025
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These ascendants met for back-to-back bedlam in March Madness.—
Steven Louis Goldstein,
New York Times,
17 May 2025
Noun
-
The exhibit also is featured in Saturday’s adults-only Science Night Live event.—
Dewayne Bevil,
The Orlando Sentinel,
30 May 2025
-
One exhibit shows some of the stunning and colorful animals found locally in the rockpools around the coast.—
Joanne Shurvell,
Forbes.com,
30 May 2025
Noun
-
The road not taken—and now rediscovered by Orozco—is the reintroduction of the ancient Marxist concept of use value,the dialectical opposite of exchange value, and, more recently, also the sole form of resisting exhibition value, which has totally effaced the concepts of material use and function.—
Benjamin H. D. Buchloh,
Artforum,
1 June 2025
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While a handful of exhibitors are already members of the organization, many in the theatrical exhibition community argue that their unique perspective is underrepresented, particularly at a time when the Academy is doubling down on the importance of theatrical releases.—
Clayton Davis,
Variety,
30 May 2025
Noun
-
The blueprint looks like this: speed + spectacle + story.—
John Cairney,
Sportico.com,
24 May 2025
-
The two-hour event, a massive military spectacle and unofficial birthday party, takes place on Constitution Avenue near the National Mall and starts at 6:30 p.m. ET.—
George Petras,
USA Today,
24 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Circus.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/circus. Accessed 4 Jun. 2025.
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