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View definitions for buffoonery

buffoonery

noun as in drollery

noun as in horseplay

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Example Sentences

I loved that the guys were so charmingly incompetent and self-deprecating in some areas, without being feckless buffoons.

From Time

Her vocal reactionary buffoonery has become part of Israel's political entertainment.

This CNN clip taken on a flooded street on Long Island serves up a buffet of buffoonery.

By contrast, she does not know Hayworth, and owes him nothing (especially with all his political buffoonery).

In far too many cases, black studies very quickly became a hotbed of paranoid bunk and intellectual buffoonery.

The comic authors entertained spectators by fantastic and gross displays, by the exhibition of buffoonery and pantomime.

Though dogs I never did care for keeping, because it goes with drinking, foulness, and buffoonery!

There is a gravity behind his buffoonery, and a secret sympathy with his butts.

Humour she really possessed; and when she chose it, she could be diverting to those who like buffoonery in women.

James I. gave all manner of liberty and encouragement to the exercise of buffoonery, and took great delight in it himself.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is another word for buffoonery?

When buffoonery refers to immature joking around, some synonyms include shenanigans, tomfoolery, clowning, antics, and high jinks.

The word horseplay can mean something similar, but it often involves playing rough (roughhousing). Buffoonery usually implies behavior that’s silly and perhaps immature or inappropriate, but not necessarily rough.

Sometimes, buffoonery refers to a particularly silly kind of humor or comedy. Similar words include slapstick and farce. Slapstick is a kind of absurd physical humor, like a person throwing a pie in someone’s face or stepping on a rake. Farce refers to a kind of comedy that usually involves a ridiculous situation.

Is buffoonery a real word?

Buffoonery isn’t a very common word, but it’s a real one (no joke).

Where does buffoonery come from?

Buffoonery comes from the word buffoon, which refers to a kind of clown or, more figuratively, to a person who’s foolish and undignified. In buffoonery, the ending -ery indicates a kind of behavior—it’s used the same way in the synonym tomfoolery and in words like trickery and quackery.

The word buffoon itself has been used since at least the mid-1500s and comes from the Italian verb buffare, meaning “to puff up one’s cheeks.” Picture someone puffing up their cheeks and “popping” them to make a pfft noise—that’s buffoonery.

How do you use buffoonery in a sentence?

Buffoonery isn’t necessarily rare, but it’s not used that often. It’s probably more common to call someone a buffoon than to accuse them of buffoonery.

Here are some examples of buffoonery in a sentence:

  • I teach sixth grade, so I’m used to having to deal with buffoonery on a daily basis.
  • The play is full of the kind of physical comedy and buffoonery that fans of the Three Stooges will appreciate.

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On this page you'll find 540 synonyms, antonyms, and words related to buffoonery, such as: facetiousness, foolishness, jest, pleasantry, raillery, and waggery.

From Roget's 21st Century Thesaurus, Third Edition Copyright © 2013 by the Philip Lief Group.

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