1
as in comedian
a person (as a writer) noted for or specializing in humor a gentle jester, the cartoonist more often tries to evoke a broad smile than a hearty guffaw
Synonyms & Similar Words
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2
as in fool
a person formerly kept in a royal or noble household to amuse with jests and pranks the king called for some much-needed entertainment from his jester
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of jester In this third installment, Sienna Shaw (Lauren LaVera) is still shaken from her last run-in with Art, but the demonic jester has returned for more murder just in time for Christmas — and he's got a sidekick (Samantha Scaffidi). —
Huntley Woods, Entertainment Weekly, 19 Dec. 2025 Even the slightly unsettling bronzes and jester pencil drawings by Mieko Yuki were still on display. —Chris Schalkx, Travel + Leisure, 16 Dec. 2025 Since medieval times, the colorful fool—from court jesters to Shakespeare’s characters—has used playful wit to critique authority and buffoonery to whip up excitement. —Time, 30 Oct. 2025 In uncertain times, humour is a powerful tool, and artists are the best jesters, critics, and storytellers around. —Lee Sharrock, Forbes.com, 19 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for jester
Huntley Woods, Entertainment Weekly, 19 Dec. 2025 Even the slightly unsettling bronzes and jester pencil drawings by Mieko Yuki were still on display. —Chris Schalkx, Travel + Leisure, 16 Dec. 2025 Since medieval times, the colorful fool—from court jesters to Shakespeare’s characters—has used playful wit to critique authority and buffoonery to whip up excitement. —Time, 30 Oct. 2025 In uncertain times, humour is a powerful tool, and artists are the best jesters, critics, and storytellers around. —Lee Sharrock, Forbes.com, 19 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for jester
Recent Examples of Synonyms for jester
Noun
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One moment in particular, just before a Weekend Update segment built around one of Murphy's ideas, still stands out to the now 74-year-old comedian.— Tereza Shkurtaj, PEOPLE, 26 Apr. 2026
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Hosted by comedian Greg Davies for BBC One, Sunday’s awards ceremony at The Brewery in London ended with victory for shows like Adolescence, The Celebrity Traitors, Andor, Amadeus, Big Boys, Reunion and more.— Glenn Garner, Deadline, 26 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Looking for trends after 20-something games is a fool’s errand, of course.— Paul Sullivan, Chicago Tribune, 19 Apr. 2026
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There was always a comedian on somebody’s album doing a skit or some funny one-liners or in the video acting a fool.— Preezy Brown, VIBE.com, 16 Apr. 2026
Noun
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There’s some Streisand, too, and a big dose of Andrea Martin, specifically Martin’s signature SCTV character Edith Prickley, that bawdy, gawdy ham with all the bravado of a Catskills clown.— Greg Evans, Deadline, 22 Apr. 2026
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Once completed, the $5 million acquisition will ensure the theater has a permanent home, a place where skateboarding clowns and leek-haired onions can continue to frolic and dance for decades to come.— Todd Martens, Los Angeles Times, 13 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Man Ray painted a harlequin with a candlelit lantern for a head in 1939, taking direct inspiration from Schiaparelli’s Harlequin coat from her Modern Comedy collection, launched in October 1938.— Eliza Goodpasture, ARTnews.com, 15 Apr. 2026
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The spill hit 1,300 miles of coastline, leading to the deaths of about 900 bald eagles, 300 seals, 1,000 harlequin ducks, 2,800 sea otters and 250,000 seabirds, according to the conservation group Oceana.— Arizona Republic, AZCentral.com, 24 Mar. 2026
Noun
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After months bandying about the term joker to describe his team’s need for a matchup-threat pass-catcher, Sean Payton sat with the media at the NFL owners’ meetings in Palm Beach, Florida, last year and confirmed Denver had gotten its guy.— Luca Evans, Denver Post, 28 Mar. 2026
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Students are required to bring two full decks of cards including the jokers.— Kris Slugg, San Diego Union-Tribune, 27 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Jester.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.grautoblog.com/thesaurus/jester. Accessed 28 Apr. 2026.
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