buffoonery
/bʌ'fu:nəri/
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
- Noun:
- Behavior that is silly, ridiculous, or like that of a clown: "Buffoonery" refers to actions or speech that are foolish, absurd, and intended to make people laugh, often in a crude or undignified way.
Usage
- "Buffoonery" is an uncountable noun used to describe a type of behavior, not a single act. It typically has a negative connotation, suggesting the behavior is inappropriate, childish, or lacking in seriousness.
- It is a formal word, often used in literary or critical contexts to criticize foolish behavior.
Examples
- The meeting descended into chaos and buffoonery, making it impossible to discuss the serious issues.
- His constant buffoonery during the ceremony offended many of the guests.
- The play was not a sophisticated comedy but relied heavily on slapstick and buffoonery.
Advanced Usage
- "to descend into buffoonery": to become foolish and ridiculous.
- The debate, which should have been about policy, quickly descended into petty buffoonery.
- "sheer/pure buffoonery": used for emphasis to mean complete foolishness.
- The politician's latest statement was sheer buffoonery.
Variants and Related Words
- Buffoon (n): a ridiculous but amusing person; a clown.
- He was often dismissed as a mere buffoon, but his ideas were sometimes insightful.
- Buffoonish (adj): resembling or characteristic of a buffoon.
- His buffoonish antics made it hard to take him seriously.
Synonyms
- Clowning: behaving in a silly way to amuse people.
- Tomfoolery: silly behavior.
- Shenanigans: secret or dishonest activity or mischief (can overlap with foolish behavior).
- Horseplay: rough, noisy, and playful physical activity.
Idioms and Phrases
- "Antics and buffoonery": a common pairing to describe foolish actions and behavior.
- The audience grew tired of the actor's endless antics and buffoonery.
Noun
- acting like a clown or buffoon