clown
A person who acts stupid or silly so that other people do not take them seriously.
A person who behaves in a foolish, ridiculous, or incompetent way, often causing annoyance or lack of respect.
A performer who wears funny clothes and makeup and does jokes, tricks, or silly acts to make people laugh, especially in a circus or at a party.
A professional or hired entertainer who wears distinctive makeup and costume and performs comic acts to amuse an audience, especially in a circus or at parties.
A person in a group who is always making jokes and acting silly so that other people laugh.
A person in a class, family, workplace, or other group who frequently jokes, plays around, and behaves in a playful or silly way to entertain others.
To act silly and playful, often making jokes instead of doing serious work or listening.
To behave in a silly, playful, or foolish way, especially to make others laugh or instead of paying attention or behaving seriously.
- Base: clown
- Plural: clowns
- Base: clown
- 3rd Person Singular: clowns
- Present Participle: clowning
- Past: clowned
class clown
1student who always jokes in class
A student in a class who is always making jokes and acting silly so that other students laugh.
- He used to be the class clown, always doing impressions of the teachers.
- My parents were worried because I spent more time being the class clown than studying.
- Everyone remembers her as the class clown from high school.
clown about
1behave playfully and not seriously
To act silly and playful instead of acting serious, often just for fun.
- They were clowning about backstage before the show started.
- We spent the morning clowning about in the kitchen and making jokes.
- Stop clowning about; people are trying to work here.
clown around
1act silly instead of working
To act silly and playful, usually making jokes and not doing the serious thing you should do.
- The kids were clowning around in the hall while they waited for the bus.
- Stop clowning around and finish your homework.
- They spent the whole afternoon clowning around at the mall.
clown car
1overcrowded, chaotic vehicle or group
A car, group, or situation that has too many people and looks silly, crowded, or not well organized.
- We all squeezed into Dan’s tiny hatchback, and it felt like a clown car.
- The meeting turned into a total clown car of ideas and side conversations.
- Their campaign staff looked like a clown car, with new people popping out every week.
clown on [someone]
1jokingly mock someone
To make fun of someone and joke about them, often in front of other people or online.
- The chat kept clowning on him for forgetting the lyrics.
- People on social media started clowning on the brand after the bad commercial.
- My friends always clown on me for being late.
clown show
1disorganized, incompetent situation
A situation, event, or group of people that is very messy, not serious, and not done in a competent way.
- The whole project was a clown show from start to finish.
- That press conference was a complete clown show.
- If we keep changing the plan every hour, this launch will turn into a clown show.
family clown
1family member who entertains with jokes
A person in a family who is always making jokes and acting silly to make other family members laugh.
- My little brother is the family clown; he can’t go five minutes without making a joke.
- She played the family clown to keep everyone’s spirits up during hard times.
- At dinner, the family clown usually steals the show with funny stories.
office clown
1person who jokes a lot at work
A person in an office who is always making jokes and acting silly so that other workers laugh.
- He’s the office clown, always doing voices and making people laugh.
- Being the office clown can be fun, but it can also hurt your chances of promotion.
- She used to be the quiet intern and now she’s turned into the office clown.
send in the clowns
1comment on sad or absurd failure
A phrase used, often humorously or with sadness, to say that a situation has become embarrassing, strange, or disappointing.
- After the plan completely fell apart, he just sighed and said, "Well, send in the clowns."
- Watching the debate, she muttered, "Send in the clowns," under her breath.
- Every time the meeting descends into chaos, someone jokes, "Send in the clowns."