noun
slapstick
SLAP-stik
Slapstick (noun) means Comedy built on exaggerated physical mishaps — falls, chases, collisions and blows — rather than on words. Example: “The film relies on pure slapstick: three men, one ladder and a flight of stairs.”
noun
1
Comedy built on exaggerated physical mishaps — falls, chases, collisions and blows — rather than on words.
"The film relies on pure slapstick: three men, one ladder and a flight of stairs."
"There is a difference between clever physical comedy and lazy slapstick."
2
A device of two thin boards joined at one end, used on stage to produce a loud crack when an actor is struck without causing injury.
"The harlequin carried a slapstick and used it on everyone he met."
adjective
1
Involving or characteristic of such comedy.
"A slapstick chase scene closes the second act."
How to use slapstick
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishComedy where people fall over and hit each other.
When to use it
Neutral, though slightly dismissive when contrasted with wit.
Easily confused with
Common pairings
broad slapstick
slapstick comedy
descend into slapstick
pure slapstick
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The film relies on pure _____: three men, one ladder and a flight of stairs.
Etymology
From the slap stick, the hinged double board used in commedia dell'arte and pantomime to make a loud slapping noise; the name of the prop transferred to the style of comedy it accompanied.
Synonyms
View more →Antonyms
Related words
Rhymes for slapstick
See all rhymes for slapstick →Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between slapstick and farce?
Slapstick is a style of performance based on physical knockabout, and can appear in a single scene. Farce is a structure for a whole play or film, built on mistaken identity, escalating misunderstandings and slamming doors — a farce often contains slapstick, but it need not.
Who are the best-known slapstick performers?
The silent era produced the classic names — Charlie Chaplin, Buster Keaton, Harold Lloyd and Laurel and Hardy — and the tradition carried on through the Three Stooges, Jacques Tati, Rowan Atkinson's Mr Bean and much of children's television.
Is calling something slapstick an insult?
It depends on tone. Used descriptively it is neutral, but critics often use it to mean crude and undemanding, so "physical comedy" is the more respectful term when praising skilled work.
What is the meaning of slapstick?
"slapstick" (noun) means comedy built on exaggerated physical mishaps — falls, chases, collisions and blows — rather than on words.
