slapstick 1 of 2

noun

ˈslap-ˌstik How to pronounce slapstick (audio)
Definition of slapsticknext
1
as in comedy
humorous entertainment an actor whose roles range from slapstick to serious drama

Synonyms & Similar Words

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2
as in clowning
wildly playful or mischievous behavior a lowbrow comedy that relies heavily on slapstick for its laughs

Synonyms & Similar Words

slapstick

2 of 2

adjective

as in zany

Related Words

Dissimilar Words

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 slapstick
Noun
With its slapstick mayhem and goofball charm, the film's oddball recruits defied the odds to become a smash at the box office. — Declan Gallagher, Entertainment Weekly, 3 Sep. 2026 The workplace slapstick sitcom also features an ensemble cast of characters, including Chris O’Connor, Kilah Fox, Stavros Halkias, Thomas Haden Church, Andrew Schulz, Rachel Blanchard and Tommy Pope, among others. — Caroline Blair, PEOPLE, 1 Sep. 2026
Adjective
Don Adams led the slapstick spy spoof as the brainy but hopelessly incompetent Agent Smart, starring alongside Barbara Feldon as the ever-capable Agent 99. — Jack Dunn, Variety, 9 Sep. 2026 Clive Ibizugbe, who operates under the pseudonym Big Groove, ate his way through the city, sharing the journey in his slapstick style with more than 2 million followers. — Lyndsay C. Green, Freep.com, 30 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for slapstick
Recent Examples of Synonyms for slapstick
  1. comedy
  2. clowning
  3. zany
  4. humor
  5. buffoonery
  6. clownish
  7. satire
  8. joking
Noun
  • There’s also the shifting relationship between tech and comedy.
    — Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 24 Oct. 2026
  • The film is a wild, frequently grotesque spectacle that careens between horror, action, slapstick, and black comedy.
    — Lisa Wong Macabasco, Vogue, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of comedy
Noun
  • On paper, the script didn’t seem that funny, and the looseness of it all — the clowning, the lack of a traditional plot structure — seemed kind of slapdash.
    — Victor Garber, Vulture, 17 Sep. 2026
  • The clowning might be a little too effortful.
    — Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 13 May 2026
Definition of clowning
Adjective
  • Curry went on to a successful, varied career, immediately seeking a departure from the zany role with which he’d become identified.
    — Lisa de los Reyes, HollywoodReporter, 26 Aug. 2026
  • Big Brother has certainly had a zany cast of characters over the years, but the characters that really matter are the casts themselves.
    — Dalton Ross, Entertainment Weekly, 4 June 2026
Definition of zany
Noun
  • Some participants appreciate the light-hearted and good-natured humor, expressing gratitude and finding it timely and amusing.
    — Edith Pritchett, Washington Post, 23 Oct. 2026
  • Noah’s warmth, humor and unwavering support for Joanne drew me back into the character’s world, even if my feelings about Brody’s public statements remained unchanged.
    — Yael Buechler, Sun Sentinel, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of humor
Noun
  • Trump’s quarter millennial—featuring overt buffoonery and historic grifting as neighbors—was characteristic of his two presidencies.
    — Ta-Nehisi Coates, Vanity Fair, 12 Oct. 2026
  • The show creates space for other types of buffoonery as well.
    — Georgie McKeon, Vulture, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of buffoonery
Adjective
  • Though Lyons’s clownish sensibilities are central to The Woman on the Edge, the show isn’t purely clown, integrating other forms and techniques, from contemporary dance to film reenactment.
    — Georgie McKeon, Vulture, 5 Oct. 2026
  • This is our introduction to He and She, two clownish, pugilistic lovers who are locked in a war of words, even as a literal war rages outside.
    — Emily Nussbaum, New Yorker, 24 Sep. 2026
Definition of clownish
Noun
  • But the director’s crowd-pleasing instincts had devolved into cutesy self-congratulation by the time his wildly overpraised, Holocaust-trivializing satire Jojo Rabbit came along.
    — David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 20 Oct. 2026
  • Her songs embrace a wide range of moods and emotions, from unique takes on relationships to political satire.
    — Jem Aswad, Variety, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of satire
Noun
  • Russell was mentioned in that speech, but in a joking way, playing off of how frequent Oscars director Glenn Weiss, who won for his role helming the 2018 Academy Awards telecast, had used his speech to propose to his then-girlfriend.
    — Hilary Lewis, HollywoodReporter, 9 Oct. 2026
  • Arch Manning's joking comments at a news conference about a fake video of coach Steve Sarkisian slapping ESPN reporter Holly Rowe erupted in controversy.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 17 Sep. 2026
Definition of joking

Browse Nearby Words

slaps down
slapstick
slapsticks
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Cite this Entry

“Slapstick.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/slapstick. Accessed 28 Oct. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on slapstick

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about slapstick

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