🎭 A puppet show 🎪 A farcical event 🤡 A comic puppet 😜 A silly person

guignol

9.9

A person who acts like a clown to make others laugh

noun
/ɡiˈnɔl/

Offensive

: payaso

The children watched in delight as the clown performed like a guignol, bringing joy to the audience with his funny antics.

Examples

At the meeting, he was such a guignol that no one could take him seriously, even when discussing important topics.
As Bobby continued his classroom grand guignol oratorio, Mr. Randall slumped back in his chair and shook his head.

Blog text (15)
He reenacts the traditions and tensions inherent in the roles of the Spanish fool, the manipulative puppeteer of the guignol tradition, and the improvisational actor within the set plot of the commedia.

Academic text (2000)
He always acts like a guignol at parties, making everyone laugh with his silly jokes.

Synonyms

clown

vsguignol

Offensive

175 2.4

A person who behaves in a silly or rude way and is not taken seriously

is more neutral silliness without the rude or vulgar tone

buffoon

vsguignol

Offensive

34 7.4

A person who acts in a silly way to make others laugh

is plain silly behavior without clear aim to perform

joker

vsguignol

Offensive

23 3.7

A person who behaves foolishly or annoyingly

is comic acting aimed at amusement rather than annoying others

goof

vsguignol

Informal

23 5.9

A person who acts silly to make others laugh

is similar silliness but can be less playful or public

goofball

vsguignol

Slang

22 7.5

A silly person who acts funny to make others laugh

is general clownlike conduct that is not necessarily playful

fool

vsguignol

Archaic

22 8.8

An entertainer who amused a king or noble in the past

is a general silly person not necessarily a historical entertainer

gomer

vsguignol

Offensive

14 9.9

A person who acts silly or clumsy and makes others laugh

is comic performance more about show than clumsiness

Muppet

vsguignol

Offensive

12 9.5

A person who is foolish and makes silly mistakes

is comic conduct that may be deliberate acting, not incompetence

nimrod

vsguignol

Offensive

10 9.2

A person who behaves foolishly and who others often insult with this word

is comic silliness focused on humour rather than mere incompetence

goober

vsguignol

Slang

9 8.7

A silly, friendly person who acts in a funny way

is clownlike behaviour that can be mocking or more insulting

chucklehead

vsguignol

Offensive

7 9.1

A person who is silly and acts foolishly

is comic acting aimed more at broad amusement than teasing

doof

vsguignol

Offensive

4 9.9

A person who acts in a silly or foolish way

is the same comic acting but in neutral rather than slang terms

jughead

vsguignol

Offensive

3 9.9

Someone who behaves in a silly or foolish way

is comic acting focused on performance rather than intelligence

chowderhead

vsguignol

Offensive

3 9.9

A person who behaves in a silly or stupid way

is comic foolishness that often aims to entertain rather than insult

bubble-head

vsguignol

Offensive

2 9.5

A person who is silly and not serious

is comic behaviour focused on ridiculousness rather than absentmindedness

bobo

vsguignol

Offensive

2 9.8

A person who behaves in a silly or foolish way

is more neutral comic conduct rather than an insult

dumdum

vsguignol

Offensive

2 8.8

A person who acts in a silly or foolish way

is a general description of comic behaviour without slang tone

zany

vsguignol

2 8.1

A person who acts in a funny, silly way to make people laugh

is more general foolishness not always meant to amuse

barney

vsguignol

Offensive

1 8.8

A person who behaves in a silly or foolish way

is comic acting used more for character than casual insult

galah

vsguignol

Offensive

1 9.9

A silly or foolish person used as an Australian insult

is comic behaviour described broadly without regional or stupid emphasis

tomfool

vsguignol

Offensive

1 9.9

A person who acts silly and does not think carefully

is comic silliness more about show than poor judgment

goofer

vsguignol

Informal

1 8.8

A person who acts silly to make others laugh

is broad comic conduct not limited to harmless mistakes

merry andrew

vsguignol

Offensive

1 9.9

A person who acts silly to make other people laugh

is general comic conduct not limited to staged entertainment

blubberhead

vsguignol

Offensive

1 9.9

A person who behaves in a foolish way

is comic acting described without the insulting slur

punchinello

vsguignol

Archaic

1 9.9

A funny puppet or person who acts silly to make people laugh

is everyday silly acting rather than a stage character

whangdoodle

vsguignol

Archaic

1 9.9

A person who acts in a silly, playful way

is comic behaviour focused on performance rather than odd eccentricity

cheese monkey

vsguignol

Slang

1 9.9

A person who acts silly and playful

is comic conduct not limited to playful nicknames

McStupid

vsguignol

Offensive

1 9.9

A rude slang name for someone who acts foolish or makes silly mistakes

is general comic conduct not tied to mocking brandlike insults

dingling

vsguignol

Offensive

9.9

A person who acts silly or foolish

is broader comic behaviour not limited to slang insults

meshuggener

vsguignol

Offensive

9.9

People call someone silly or crazy as a friendly joke

is comic behaviour that focuses on silliness rather than craziness

flapdoodle

vsguignol

Offensive

9.9

A person who says or does silly things

is comic acting aimed at effect rather than nonsensical speech

total shitgibbon

vsguignol

Offensive

9.9

A very rude and foolish person

is comic behaviour described neutrally rather than with vulgar insult

Compounds

Grand Guignol

NSFW

1 9.9

A play or film with shocking bloody scenes meant to frighten the audience

How Foolish

idiot

Offensive

∞ 1.2

guignol

Offensive

9.9

buffoon

Offensive

34 7.4

to clown

Informal

24 3.0

Surface Forms

guignol singular

guignols plural

Etymology

Guignol began as a name for a silly puppet who made people laugh, and so people later used it to call a person who behaves in a clownish or foolish way.