1
as in stadium
a large usually roofless building for sporting events with tiers of seats for spectators
the Roman circus is believed to have held 50,000 spectators in ancient times
Synonyms & Similar Words
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2
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
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
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
Examples Sentences
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Recent Examples of circus
Paige nicely anchors her scenes as the one clearly sane character in this circus.
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Pete Hammond, Deadline, 18 Oct. 2024
Back in 2005, 5% of all visitors to Las Vegas went to see shows run by avant-garde circus show operator Cirque du Soleil.
—Caroline Reid, Forbes, 5 Nov. 2024
This is the ultimate dysfunctional family story, about a circus troupe whose members abhor normalcy to such a degree that the parents intentionally breed a family of sideshow freaks.
—The Week Us, theweek, 5 Nov. 2024
The third hit for a circus touchdown pass from Courtland Sutton to Nix.
—Parker Gabriel, The Denver Post, 3 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for circus 
Pete Hammond, Deadline, 18 Oct. 2024
Back in 2005, 5% of all visitors to Las Vegas went to see shows run by avant-garde circus show operator Cirque du Soleil.
—Caroline Reid, Forbes, 5 Nov. 2024
This is the ultimate dysfunctional family story, about a circus troupe whose members abhor normalcy to such a degree that the parents intentionally breed a family of sideshow freaks.
—The Week Us, theweek, 5 Nov. 2024
The third hit for a circus touchdown pass from Courtland Sutton to Nix.
—Parker Gabriel, The Denver Post, 3 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for circus
Recent Examples of Synonyms for circus
Noun
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In the stadium, just a trickle of fans turned out for the match, which ended in a 0-0 draw after 90 minutes.Chantal Da Silva, NBC News, 14 Nov. 2024
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Maccabi supporters reportedly booed in the stadium during a minute's silence for victims of the floods in Spain.Harriet Marsden, The Week UK, theweek, 8 Nov. 2024
Noun
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Jessica Chastain, The Eyes of Tammy Faye Welcome to the madhouse.Vulture, Vulture, 28 Feb. 2022
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Life around the office, which included a basketball court and beer on tap, was a preview of the headquarters-as-madhouse ethos soon to dominate Silicon Valley.Alex Williams, New York Times, 14 Oct. 2022
Noun
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The 73rd Miss Universe competition brought dazzling outfits, inspiring stories and a new chapter in pageant history with the debuts of Miss Universe UAE, Miss Universe Bahrain, Miss Universe Eritrea, Miss Universe Guinea, Miss Universe Macau and Miss Universe Maldives, to name a few.Tiffany Acosta, The Arizona Republic, 18 Nov. 2024
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Of the cast, Judy Greer stands out as the flustered but patient substitute pageant director and mom who learns to raise her voice in support of the kids the church wants to avoid and leave behind.Randy Myers, The Mercury News, 7 Nov. 2024
Noun
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Luzon wore a look evocative of the gladiator armor worn in coliseums of Ancient Rome.Julia Teti, WWD, 19 Nov. 2024
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The second stop is Expo Park/USC, that leaves you even closer to the coliseum, about a 4-minute walk. Coliseum officials recommend that riders purchase a $3.50 round-trip fare at the beginning of their trip to avoid ticket lines when the events are over.Karen Garcia, Los Angeles Times, 25 Oct. 2024
Noun
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The idea is to bring an irreverent, underground, at times almost Dada-ist sensibility to network television, but that also means surrounding himself with people whose own factory settings are bedlam and cynicism.Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 27 Sep. 2024
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One is Mayhem in the Madness, which is all about chaos, bedlam and havoc, while Startled Darkness is perfect for those who claim to not be afraid of the dark.Meredith G. White, The Arizona Republic, 24 Sep. 2024
Noun
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This particularly came into the spotlight two years ago, when a one-of-a-kind exhibit landed in New York City.Andrea Bossi, Essence, 4 Nov. 2024
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In 2022, alongside luminary directors, Martin Scorsese, Tom Ford, Chloe Zhao and Julie Dash, Radha was invited by The Met Costume Institute to reimagine one of its period rooms for the ‘In America’ exhibit.Katie Campione, Deadline, 4 Nov. 2024
Noun
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The In Full Colour: Dale Chihuly exhibition, is carefully set within the lush rainforest environment of the Botanical Garden’s Bicentennial Conservatory, and gives visitors an up-close and personal look at Chihuly's creations.Sandra MacGregor, Forbes, 5 Nov. 2024
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The museum also hosts workshops, lectures, and performances and is planning an exhibition on the workings of quantum physics for next year.Erika Page, The Christian Science Monitor, 4 Nov. 2024
Noun
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Jake Paul is an emblem of a generation starving for purpose while gorging on spectacle.Spencer Kornhaber, The Atlantic, 20 Nov. 2024
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Even then the Italians loved a spritz In a period of political instability and uncertainty, the Colosseum was conceived as a way to unite the people of Rome under a shared spectacle.Kieron Marchese, Architectural Digest, 19 Nov. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near circus
Cite this Entry
“Circus.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/circus. Accessed 28 Nov. 2024.
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