clown around
Clown around (verb) means to behave in a silly, playful way instead of taking a situation seriously, usually to entertain other people or to avoid getting on with the task at hand. Example: “Stop clowning around and finish your homework.”
How to use clown around
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishTo mess about being silly instead of getting on with things.
Informal. Most often said by an adult telling somebody to stop.
The forms are clown around, clowning around, clowned around. It is intransitive — you clown around, you do not clown around something.
Trace the full origin ↓Etymology
A phrasal verb from clown, the circus performer, in the sense of behaving like one.
Synonyms
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Related words
Rhymes for clown around
See all rhymes for clown around →Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between clowning around and horsing around?
Clowning around emphasises being funny — playing the fool for an audience. Horsing around emphasises rough physical play like wrestling and shoving, which is why it is the phrase adults use when someone is about to break something.
Is clown around the same as fool around?
In the sense of behaving sillily, yes. But fool around has two extra meanings — to tinker aimlessly with something, and to have a casual sexual encounter — that clown around does not.
What is the meaning of clown around?
"clown around" (verb) means to behave in a silly, playful way instead of taking a situation seriously, usually to entertain other people or to avoid getting on with the task at hand.
What is another word for clown around?
Other words for "clown around" include mess about, fool around, muck about, horse around, lark about.