as in clown
a comically dressed performer (as at a circus) who entertains with playful tricks and ridiculous behavior
among the court entertainers waiting to enter the grand hall were masked harlequins in brightly colored pantaloons
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Recent Examples of harlequin
For brassicas, watch for cabbage worms, flea beetles, and harlequin bugs.
—
Anthony Reardon,
Kansas City Star,
20 Apr. 2026
Man Ray painted a harlequin with a candlelit lantern for a head in 1939, taking direct inspiration from Schiaparelli’s Harlequin coat from her Modern Comedy collection, launched in October 1938.
—
Eliza Goodpasture,
ARTnews.com,
15 Apr. 2026
The spill hit 1,300 miles of coastline, leading to the deaths of about 900 bald eagles, 300 seals, 1,000 harlequin ducks, 2,800 sea otters and 250,000 seabirds, according to the conservation group Oceana.
—
Arizona Republic,
AZCentral.com,
24 Mar. 2026
If the Brits are anything to go by, feather boas and harlequin jumpsuits are out, and French-girl flats are in.
—
Alice Newbold,
Vogue,
28 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for harlequin
Anthony Reardon,
Kansas City Star,
20 Apr. 2026
Man Ray painted a harlequin with a candlelit lantern for a head in 1939, taking direct inspiration from Schiaparelli’s Harlequin coat from her Modern Comedy collection, launched in October 1938.
—
Eliza Goodpasture,
ARTnews.com,
15 Apr. 2026
The spill hit 1,300 miles of coastline, leading to the deaths of about 900 bald eagles, 300 seals, 1,000 harlequin ducks, 2,800 sea otters and 250,000 seabirds, according to the conservation group Oceana.
—
Arizona Republic,
AZCentral.com,
24 Mar. 2026
If the Brits are anything to go by, feather boas and harlequin jumpsuits are out, and French-girl flats are in.
—
Alice Newbold,
Vogue,
28 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for harlequin
Recent Examples of Synonyms for harlequin
clown
Noun
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The group demonstrated near the Washington Monument and was met by a few counter protestors, one of which played clown music throughout the majority of the demonstration.
-
But many did not, as the 1981 episodes tell the grim tale of a young girl named Sylvia (Barash), who is raped by a stranger wearing a horrifying clown mask.
Cite this Entry
“Harlequin.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/harlequin. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.
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