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zany

zany

3 8.1
A person who acts in a funny, silly way to make people laugh
  • noun
  • /ˈzeɪni/
translation icon : payaso
  • Zany attractions still lure the traveler to make a stop.

Examples

  • The crowd laughed as the zany performer juggled flaming torches while wearing a clown costume.

  • My world would be a little less awesome without your blog, and I'm grateful for your zany self.

    Blog text (32)
  • You, Phil Moskowitz, amiable zany, can help me.

  • He always acts like a zany, making silly faces to entertain the children at the party.

  • As a zany, she brought joy to every event with her humorous antics and playful spirit.

Synonyms

clown
vszany
372 1.0

A performer who wears bright clothes and makes people laugh

is broader, covering clownish behaviour outside formal performing roles
jackass
vszany
  • Offensive
156 8.4

A person who acts very stupidly and annoys others

is milder and funnier, emphasising comic foolish behaviour
bozo
vszany
  • Offensive
59 8.8

A person who behaves in a silly or careless way

is more about comic, clownish behaviour rather than straightforward insult
joker
vszany
  • Offensive
59 3.7

A person who behaves foolishly or annoyingly

leans more toward lighthearted comic acting than plain thoughtlessness
buffoon
vszany
  • Offensive
43 7.4

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

is more about playful clownish acting than mere insult
cuckoo
vszany
  • Offensive
26 8.4

A person who behaves in a silly or strange way

is more about playful clownish acting than true lack of sense
goofball
vszany
  • Slang
23 7.5

A silly person who acts funny to make others laugh

can also describe odd or eccentric behaviour not aimed at performance
goof
vszany
  • Informal
22 5.9

A person who acts silly to make others laugh

often highlights playful clownishness rather than genuine incompetence
twat
vszany
  • Offensive
15 9.9

An insulting word for a person who does very stupid things

is more comic and less crude, highlighting clownish acting rather than insult
fathead
vszany
  • Offensive
6 8.2

A person who is foolish and not very smart

is lighter and more playful, focusing on clownish foolishness
nutbag
vszany
  • Offensive
4 8.6

A person who acts in a silly or strange way

is more about amusing clownishness than dangerous or harmful craziness
chucklehead
vszany
  • Offensive
2 9.1

A person who is silly and acts foolishly

leans more toward visible comic behaviour than plain stupidity
jughead
vszany
  • Offensive
1 9.9

Someone who behaves in a silly or foolish way

is more comic and less harsh than crude insults about intelligence
merry andrew
vszany
  • Offensive
1 9.9

A person who acts silly to make other people laugh

is used more widely for playful foolish behaviour not only performance
bubble-head
vszany
  • Offensive
1 9.5

A person who is silly and not serious

is often used for playful public clownish conduct rather than private silliness
guignol
vszany
  • Offensive
9.9

A person who acts like a clown to make others laugh

is a general label for comic or foolish conduct
whangdoodle
vszany
  • Archaic
9.9

A person who acts in a silly, playful way

is more narrowly about clownish, buffoonish acting than oddness
barney
vszany
  • Offensive
8.8

A person who behaves in a silly or foolish way

is more specific to comic behaviour rather than general foolishness
dingling
vszany
  • Offensive
9.9

A person who acts silly or foolish

can imply playful clowning rather than serious incompetence
McStupid
vszany
  • Offensive
9.9

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

stresses comic, silly behaviour rather than being merely foolish

Antonyms

15 7.5

A performer who plays a serious role in a comedy to make the other person's jokes funnier

How Zany

buffoon
  • Offensive
43 7.4
to clown
  • Informal
37 3.0
zany
3 8.1
joker
35 2.4
comic
145 2.5

Surface Forms

zany singular
zanies plural

Etymology

Zany comes from the Italian stage character Zanni, a comic servant in old plays whose name came from Giovanni ('John'), and these servants acted like clowns. So a zany is a 'clown' or a person who behaves in a foolish, funny way.