1
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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
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
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Recent Examples of circus
While my personal nature in that area is more of the high-level, 10,000-foot circus barker, big picture, don’t sweat the nickels, let the sunshine in – that model will not cut it today.
—
Neil Senturia, San Diego Union-Tribune, 30 Mar. 2026
Nothing captures that better than the shutdown circus over Department of Homeland Security funding.
—Larry Clifton, The Orlando Sentinel, 27 Mar. 2026
As a teen-ager, Batten was the president of Animal Connection of Texas, an animal-rights nonprofit, and lobbied for restrictions on travelling circuses.
—Rachel Monroe, New Yorker, 26 Mar. 2026
Perhaps no one had more fun on Wednesday than Darius Garland, who blew kisses after each of his five 3-pointers, converted a handful of circus shots and finished with 24 points on 9-of-16 shooting to go with six assists.
—Janis Carr, Oc Register, 26 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for circus
Neil Senturia, San Diego Union-Tribune, 30 Mar. 2026
Nothing captures that better than the shutdown circus over Department of Homeland Security funding.
—Larry Clifton, The Orlando Sentinel, 27 Mar. 2026
As a teen-ager, Batten was the president of Animal Connection of Texas, an animal-rights nonprofit, and lobbied for restrictions on travelling circuses.
—Rachel Monroe, New Yorker, 26 Mar. 2026
Perhaps no one had more fun on Wednesday than Darius Garland, who blew kisses after each of his five 3-pointers, converted a handful of circus shots and finished with 24 points on 9-of-16 shooting to go with six assists.
—Janis Carr, Oc Register, 26 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for circus
Recent Examples of Synonyms for circus
Noun
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In practice, this means a madhouse of multimedia rooms, packed with gurgling videos and useless machines and humanoid bodies.—
Zachary Fine,
New Yorker,
31 Mar. 2026
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Given her reputation and TikTok-famous opener Ella Langley, the badge line was a madhouse.—
Deborah Sengupta Stith,
Austin American Statesman,
17 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Loren got her start in beauty pageants as a young girl before turning to acting in the 1950s.—
Juliana Ukiomogbe,
Architectural Digest,
3 Apr. 2026
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Meanwhile, closer to home, at the Glock Horse Performance Center in Austria, Kathrin put together a series of lavish Horses & Stars pageants.—
Simon Akam,
Vanity Fair,
2 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Seldom now are radio teams given the luxury of calling games in a stadium or an arena’s prime location.—
Mac Engel
April 2,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
2 Apr. 2026
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The tour ends May 27 at Nationals Park in Washington, DC, the only stadium date.—
Melissa Ruggieri,
USA Today,
1 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Bogle is able to cross into the box, where the two strikers are again creating bedlam for the centre-backs.—
Beren Cross,
New York Times,
20 Mar. 2026
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Another centered on a teenage girl (Chloë Sevigny doppelgänger Emma Halleen), whose insecurities blind her to a life that is, on its surface, pretty good, finds a palpable sadness within the bedlam of the show.—
Daniel Fienberg,
HollywoodReporter,
21 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Paul and Monique are part of the concept team behind the current exhibit Street Food City, which opened at Brooklyn’s Museum of Food and Drink in December 2025.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
31 Mar. 2026
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In the coming years, Mello said her team is looking to expand Woolsey’s reach even further by renovating an area of the museum — which currently displays historic agricultural equipment — to be a child-centric exhibit combining the history of Sacramento children with play and interaction.—
Camila Pedrosa,
Sacbee.com,
31 Mar. 2026
Noun
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This year the coliseum will also become home to The Charlotte Crown, a professional women’s basketball team.—
Nick Sullivan,
Charlotte Observer,
24 Mar. 2026
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On the road, ordinary gyms suddenly felt like coliseums.—
Dana O’Neil,
CNN Money,
12 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Proceeds from the annual registration fee would help fund lowrider public exhibitions, cultural events and programs that preserve lowrider history.—
James Taylor,
CBS News,
4 Apr. 2026
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Illinois’ march to the Final Four at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis began in October with a 92-65 exhibition victory over Illinois State — which played Thursday night in the NIT semifinals at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
4 Apr. 2026
Noun
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But nothing is more important than remembering there’s life outside the spectacle.—
Jay Caspian Kang,
New Yorker,
31 Mar. 2026
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His five green jackets, including the iconic 2019 comeback, helped transform the tournament into a global spectacle.—
Rowan Fisher-Shotton,
MSNBC Newsweek,
30 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Circus.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/circus. Accessed 6 Apr. 2026.
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