clown show
1
7.0
- noun
- /klaʊn ʃoʊ/
- Offensive
:
circo
- The meeting turned into a clown show when no one could agree on the agenda.
And then we're going through Airborne, which is just a clown show.
- And then we're going through Airborne, which is just a clown show.
- We'll do it like a business, not like a a clown show.
- So this is like the clown show at the top, but behind it are all of these darker, more nefarious forces that nobody's ever really dealt with, Right?
- And I was like, OK, this is clown show one-on-one stuff going on right now.
- I mean, I, I, I, you can't call it a cabinets clown show.
Examples
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And I was like, OK, this is clown show one-on-one stuff going on right now.
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Why is he being pushed to join the Republican clown show?
Blog text (29) -
And then as you know, you know, clown show started to happen at that time.
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The real clown show is when they start going after each other.
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Personally, keep bringing the clown show; I think it's good medicine for you.
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There are many intelligent voices on the right that were as appalled by last night's clown show as we were.
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The GOP/Right is a clown show of epic proportions at this point.
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So this is like the clown show at the top, but behind it are all of these darker, more nefarious forces that nobody's ever really dealt with, Right?
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Look, the Olympics long ago ceased to be about sport; it's about entertainment, period—especially in America and many of the other so-called "developed countries" that sponsor that clown show.
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Let's see if Crowley is as good as the last "moderator" at halting the Republicans' momentum with unnecessary interruptions... that is the only way to prop up this clown show of an administration.
Blog text (21)
Synonyms
144
4.4
A noisy, confused situation when people behave in a very disorganized way
35
6.8
An event that shows strange or shocking people and acts for entertainment
8
6.8
A situation that is chaotic and full of problems
1
4.2
A noisy, chaotic event with people everywhere
A situation that is very messy and badly organized
Antonyms
How Chaotic
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning 'a chaotic or farcical situation' is directly and predictably built from 'clown' (someone foolish or ridiculous) + 'show' (a display or performance); a 'show' featuring clowns naturally evokes a ridiculous, poorly managed spectacle. This compositional metaphor is straightforward and cross-linguistically common, so a B1 learner who knows both words would very likely infer the intended sense.
Etymology
The noun clown show comes from the image of a circus clown on a show stage who acts silly, makes mistakes, and causes confusion. That's why people call a badly run event a 'clown show'—meaning something 'chaotic' or 'disorganized'.