slapstick

noun

slap·stick ˈslap-ˌstik

: a device made of two flat pieces of wood fastened at one end so as to make a loud noise when used by an actor to strike a person

: comedy stressing farce and horseplay

also : activity resembling slapstick

slapstick adjective

slapsticky

ˈslap-ˌsti-kē

adjective

Did you know?

The idea that knocking people about made for good comedy dates as far back as the Greco-Roman theater, where clowns rambunctiously "attacked" one another onstage. The object from which the word slapstick derives, however, was invented in Italy in the 16th century. Renaissance comedy typically featured stock characters placed in ridiculous situations, and one such ubiquitous character was Harlequin, whose brilliant costuming made him easily recognizable. Harlequin was given to wielding a paddle which was designed to make a terrible noise when he hit someone, usually to the delight of the audience. This paddle was eventually known in English as a "slapstick," and it became a symbol of that type of highly physical comedy. The word slapstick then came to refer to the comedy itself.

Examples of slapstick in a Sentence

an actor whose roles range from slapstick to serious drama a lowbrow comedy that relies heavily on slapstick for its laughs

Recent Examples on the Web

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Meanwhile, its slapstick, gross-out animation style reminds viewers that absolutely nothing is sacred, including its own child characters who suffer and even die terribly from episode to episode (#WhoKilledKenny). —

Sezin Keohler, EW.com, 24 Jan. 2025 Away from the slapstick… The events at Benfica made the rest of yesterday’s fixtures look decidedly pedestrian. —

Phil Hay, The Athletic, 22 Jan. 2025 The slapstick is beautifully realized, the action scenes thrilling, the suspense killing, and Gromit, as ever, is a masterpiece of deadpan comedy. —

Lorraine Ali, Los Angeles Times, 17 Jan. 2025 The slapstick finale has all the Universal Monsters going at it, with a hapless Chick and Wilbur trying to escape in one piece. —

Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 17 Jan. 2025 See all Example Sentences for slapstick