clownishness

4.6

Behaving in a silly, playful way like a clown to make people laugh

noun
/ˈklaʊnɪʃnəs/

: payasada

Even in serious meetings, his occasional clownishness brought smiles to everyone’s faces.

Examples

Bardem plays his character's eccentricity to the hilt, balancing just on the precipice of clownishness without falling over the edge.

Blog text (25)
He was an elderly clown, and he should try to preserve one last fragment of his dignity in the only way available to him: by accepting his essential clownishness and not pretending to be an actual man.

Fiction book (1998)
His constant jokes and antics showed a charming kind of clownishness that made everyone laugh.
The children's clownishness during the performance delighted the audience and lightened the mood.

Synonyms

silliness

vsclownishness

29 2.6

Playful or foolish behavior that is not serious and often funny

is more specifically playful and showy rather than merely not serious

clowning

vsclownishness

8 3.2

Acting in a silly way to make people laugh

is the general quality rather than a single acting event

buffoonery

vsclownishness

5 7.9

Clown-like, silly actions meant to make people laugh

is broader and can be playful without aiming to entertain

goofiness

vsclownishness

Informal

2 3.2

A way of acting that is silly, playful, and often makes people laugh

is about the overall playful quality rather than error-prone behavior

jocularity

vsclownishness

1 8.0

A playful, joking way of behaving that makes people laugh

is more physical and showy in manner rather than only joking

nuttiness

vsclownishness

Informal

1 5.2

A playful, slightly silly way of behaving that makes people laugh

is more controlled playful foolishness rather than being crazy or strange

comicality

vsclownishness

1 7.4

A quality that makes people laugh

is more specifically playful and foolish in manner rather than simply amusing

zaniness

vsclownishness

1 7.1

Funny, silly, unpredictable behaviour or ideas that make people laugh

is more ordinary playful foolishness, not necessarily eccentric or unpredictable

looniness

vsclownishness

Informal

1 6.8

A very silly or crazy way of behaving that makes people laugh

is milder and more playful rather than extreme craziness or foolishness

clownery

vsclownishness

Informal

6.1

Silly behavior meant to make people laugh

is broader and can be playful without deliberate intent to amuse

antics

vsclownishness

3.1

Funny or silly actions that try to make people laugh

is the simple quality of playful behavior, not only exaggerated acts

jocosity

vsclownishness

Formal

9.9

To joke and be playful in a friendly way that makes people smile

is more about visible, performative play rather than mere joking or wit

Antonyms

seriousness

53 2.7

A calm and honest way of speaking or acting that shows you mean what you say

How Silly

absurdity

54 6.1

buffoonery

5 7.9

clownishness

4.6

silliness

29 2.6

playfulness

8 2.5

Surface Forms

clownishness singular

clownishnesses plural

Morphology

clownishness = clownish (transparent) = clown + ish + ness

The word is formed by adding the productive noun-forming suffix '-ness' to the adjective 'clownish', yielding the abstract quality 'the state of being clownish'.

Etymology

Clownishness comes from the common word clown, meaning a funny or foolish performer, plus the ending -ishness that means the state of being something. So, clownishness is the quality of acting 'silly' or 'playful', just like a clown.