circus

noun

ˈsər-kəs How to pronounce circus (audio)
Definition of circusnext
1
as in madhouse
a place of uproar or confusion with seven kids in the house, it's a circus most of the time

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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
3
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

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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 circus The cavernous arena was filled with exhibits showcasing the convention center’s history, including tributes to musical artists, political leaders, athletes, and even circus performers who have performed under that iconic domed ceiling. — Emily Holshouser, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 21 Sep. 2026 While Dallas is always going to put up numbers, the triumphant return of the Jaxson Dart/Cam Skattebo circus act should go a long way toward boosting the NFL’s audience in the nation’s biggest media market. — Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 18 Sep. 2026 College football carries a different kind of traveling circus. — Taylor Eldridge, Kansas City Star, 18 Sep. 2026 The animal-free circus show blends choreography with gravity-defying acrobatics on silks and hoops. — ABC News, 18 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for circus
Recent Examples of Synonyms for circus
  1. madhouse
  2. pageant
  3. stadium
  4. bedlam
  5. exhibit
  6. coliseum
  7. exhibition
  8. spectacle
Noun
  • Whereas this evening in the Spanish Gothic madhouse of the United Theater, most every song from Melanie’s Hadean pageant is received with near word-perfect communalism.
    — Matt Thompson, SPIN, 13 July 2026
  • Headphones are often my saving grace in this madhouse.
    — Juhi Wadia, PC Magazine, 17 Apr. 2026
Definition of madhouse
Noun
  • They’re then forced to compete in a beauty pageant, wearing lingerie and swimsuits, which Galán considers to be the ultimate motivator.
    — Jolene Edgar, Allure, 2 Oct. 2026
  • Desperate to regain her dominance while dazzling pageant recruiter Eloise Amponsah (Tony Award winner Patina Miller), who was Miss Ghana 1966, Paulina launches a campaign to crush Ericka’s spirit and dash her chances in the spotlight.
    — Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 29 Sep. 2026
Definition of pageant
Noun
  • Rather than point to the comments, however, Cruz blamed fans who attempted to force their way through the entrance of the stadium before the game.
    — Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 6 Oct. 2026
  • India’s bid plan centers on the city of Ahmedabad, which will host the multi-sport Commonwealth Games in 2030, and has the world’s largest cricket stadium which is named for Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of stadium
Noun
  • But this is preposterous, this is insanity, this is the very essence of bedlam.
    — J. B. MacKinnon, Harpers Magazine, 22 Sep. 2026
  • Against this bedlam, Rhaenyra tries to fashion herself a real queen.
    — Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 6 July 2026
Definition of bedlam
Noun
  • The exhibit has also been translated into Spanish, Ballard said.
    — Emma Hall October 3, Sacbee.com, 3 Oct. 2026
  • There's also mammal dioramas, live animals, and other rotating exhibits.
    — Andrew Stelzer, NPR, 3 Oct. 2026
Definition of exhibit
Noun
  • On the afternoon of commencement, in May, about a thousand people filed into the United Supermarkets Arena, the basketball coliseum where Texas Tech confers its law degrees.
    — Benjamin Wofford, New Yorker, 21 Sep. 2026
  • Natural light pokes through the windows, adding a trademark freshness to an indoor coliseum.
    — Alec Lewis, New York Times, 14 Sep. 2026
Definition of coliseum
Noun
  • The curators have also organized an exhibition within an exhibition, producing a simulacrum of Lichtenstein’s 1962 Leo Castelli Gallery debut.
    — Alex Greenberger, ARTnews.com, 7 Oct. 2026
  • The reports say that when a post office facility was struck, about a third of the entire exhibition was destroyed.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of exhibition
Noun
  • The combination of spectacle and intimacy is well balanced, in part because Kazan and her co-showrunner Jeb Stuart are so dialed into their characters.
    — Ben Travers, IndieWire, 1 Oct. 2026
  • This a show about the 1920s that behaves like a sensational stage spectacle from the 1920s, with a cast of dozens and special effects that make everything and everyone look monumental and magnificent.
    — Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of spectacle

Phrases Containing circus

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circumvents
circus
circuses
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Cite this Entry

“Circus.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/circus. Accessed 9 Oct. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on circus

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about circus

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