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Definitions

buffoonery

[buh-foo-nuh-ree] / bəˈfu nə ri /

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drollery n.
farce n.
fooling n.
fun n.
ha-ha n.
horseplay n.
humor n.
humorousness n.
jocosity n.
joke n.
ludicrousness n.
merriment n.
merriment/merrymaking n.
monkey business n.
ridicule n.

NOUN

drollery

Synonyms

STRONG

facetiousness foolishness jest pleasantry raillery waggery whimsicality whimsy

Antonyms

WEAK

seriousness

NOUN

farce

Synonyms

STRONGEST

absurdity burlesque caricature comedy joke mockery parody sham skit slapstick travesty

STRONG

camp horseplay interlude mock play ridiculousness

WEAK

broad comedy high camp low camp pratfall comedy

Antonyms

STRONGEST

seriousness solemnity

WEAK

sobriety tragedy

NOUN

fooling

Synonyms

STRONG

bluffing farce frolicking jesting joshing kidding roughhouse roughhousing sham skylarking spoofing teasing trifling

WEAK

clownishness high jinks horseplay making light mockery nonsense pretense rowdiness

Antonyms

WEAK

seriousness

NOUN

fun

Synonyms

STRONGEST

celebration distraction enjoyment joke joy laughter pastime pleasure sport

STRONG

absurdity ball blast cheer clowning diversion entertainment escapade festivity foolery frolic gaiety gambol game grins holiday horseplay jocularity jollity junketing merriment merrymaking mirth nonsense picnic playfulness recreation rejoicing relaxation riot romp solace tomfoolery treat whoopee

WEAK

big-time good time high jinks jesting joking living it up romping

Antonyms

STRONGEST

work

STRONG

chore drudgery labor task

NOUN

ha-ha

Synonyms

STRONG

antic burlesque caper caprice chestnut clowning drollery epigram escapade farce frolic gag gambol game horseplay humor jape jest lark laugh mischief mummery one-liner parody

WEAK

bon mot hoodwinking monkeyshine payof

Antonyms

STRONG

seriousness tragedy

NOUN

horseplay

Synonyms

STRONGEST

hijinks misbehavior rowdiness

STRONG

antics capers clowning pranks shenanigans tomfoolery

WEAK

fooling around fun and games rough-housing

NOUN

humor

Synonyms

STRONGEST

banter farce fun gag joke playfulness whimsy wisecrack wit

STRONG

amusement badinage clowning comicality drollery facetiousness flippancy gaiety happiness jest jesting jocoseness jocosity jocularity joking joyfulness kidding levity lightness pleasantry raillery tomfoolery witticism wittiness

WEAK

comicalness high spirits

Antonyms

STRONG

sadness seriousness unhappiness

WEAK

depression drama tragedy

NOUN

humorousness

Synonyms

STRONG

amusement badinage banter clowning comedy comicality drollery facetiousness farce flippancy fun funniness gag gaiety happiness jest jocoseness jocosity jocularity

WEAK

comicalness drollness farcicality high spirits jesting

Antonyms

STRONG

sadness seriousness tragedy unhappiness work

NOUN

jocosity

Synonyms

STRONG

amusement badinage banter clowning comedy comicality drollery facetiousness farce flippancy fun funniness gag gaiety happiness humorousness jest jocoseness jocularity joke joyfulness levity lightness playfulness pleasantry raillery ridiculousness tomfoolery whimsy wisecrack wit witticism wittiness

WEAK

comicalness drollness farcicality high spirits jesting joking kidding ludicrousness zaniness

Antonyms

STRONG

sadness seriousness tragedy unhappiness work

NOUN

joke

Synonyms

STRONGEST

antic farce gag humor laugh one-liner parody prank pun stunt trick wisecrack

STRONG

burlesque caper caprice chestnut clowning drollery epigram escapade frolic game ha-ha hoodwinking horseplay jape jest lark mischief mummery payoff play pleasantry put on quirk raillery repartee revel sally saw shenanigan sport spree tomfoolery vagary whimsy witticism yarn

WEAK

bon mot monkeyshine shaggy-dog story snow job

Antonyms

STRONGEST

seriousness tragedy

STRONG

work

NOUN

ludicrousness

Synonyms

WEAK

amusement badinage banter clowning comedy comicality comicalness drollery drollness facetiousness farce farcicality flippancy fun funniness gag gaiety happiness high spirits humorousness jest jesting jocoseness jocosity jocularity joke joking joyfulness kidding levity lightness playfulness pleasantry raillery ridiculousness tomfoolery whimsy wisecrack wit witticism wittiness zaniness

NOUN

merriment

Synonyms

STRONGEST

hilarity revelry

STRONG

brawl cheerfulness conviviality enjoyment festivity frolic fun gaiety glee grins happiness hoopla indulgence jocularity jocundity jollity joviality joy laughs laughter levity liveliness merrymaking mirth picnic recreation revel self-indulgence shindig sport tomfoolery whoopee

WEAK

wingding

Antonyms

STRONG

depression gloom misery sadness seriousness sorrow unhappiness woe work

NOUN

merriment/merrymaking

Synonyms

WEAK

brawl cheerfulness conviviality festivity frolic fun fun and games gaiety glee happiness hilarity hoopla indulgence jocularity jocundity jollity joviality joy laughs laughter levity liveliness mirth picnic recreation revel revelry self-indulgence shindig sport whoopee wingding

Antonyms

WEAK

sadness sorrow unhappiness

NOUN

monkey business

Synonyms

WEAK

absurdity absurdness antics carrying-on clowning around craziness disobedience foolery foolishness hanky-panky high jinks hokey-pokey horse feathers horseplay inanity insanity irresponsibility ludicrousness lunacy misbehavior mischief mischief-making monkeyshine nonsense poppycock prank silliness stupidity tommyrot

NOUN

ridicule

Synonyms

STRONGEST

caricature contempt derision disdain jeer laughter mockery parody sarcasm satire scorn taunt taunting

STRONG

badinage banter burlesque comeback dig disparagement farce foolery gibe irony jab needling persiflage put on raillery roast slam sneer swipe travesty

WEAK

mordancy parting shot put down sardonicism

Antonyms

STRONGEST

admiration approval compliment flattery love praise respect

STRONG

commendation

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.

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

buffoonery

There are early signs of buffoonery involving a maternal wig.

From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 14, 2025

"More Cowbell" sets the bar for the kind of meticulously curated buffoonery people want from the show and any tribute marking its 50 years in business.

From Salon ● Jan. 16, 2025

“The notion that Cromitie was selected as a ‘leader’ by the co-defendants is inconceivable, given his well-documented buffoonery and ineptitude,” she wrote.

From Seattle Times ● Jan. 20, 2024

All told, the 60-page document features plenty of conspiracy and buffoonery both.

From Slate ● Jul. 27, 2023

His attempts at playfulness always degenerated into buffoonery, and his habitual bearing towards women, in whatever relation they stood to him, was unmistakable evidence of his utter want of nicety of perception on this point.

From The American Gentleman's Guide to Politeness and Fashion or, Familiar Letters to his Nephews by Henry Lunettes

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