Definitions

from The Century Dictionary.

  • In a clownish manner; coarsely; rudely.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • adverb In a clownish, undignified, or foolish manner; absurdly, ridiculously.

Etymologies

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

clownish +‎ -ly

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Examples

  • Yet, we still have our share of wild creatures, like the flock of turkeys I startled while walking my dogs, about a dozen prehistoric looking birds with gray wattles, brown feathers and clownishly large clawed feet.

    Holly Robinson: Moving Toward Self-Sustainability Holly Robinson 2010

  • They have proven to be as clownishly incompetent at defending the country as they are in, well, any other area of governance.

    Matthew Yglesias » Conservative Lawyers Slam Cheney/Kristol Attack on DOJ Lawyers 2010

  • This version plays the same card, but adds some pretty on-the-nose political leanings as well, as James Marsden's David is a stereotypical 'latte-liberal' lives in Hollywood, atheist, Ivy-League educated, etc while the people he encounters in this new environment are almost clownishly 'Southern' in their appearance and behavior.

    Scott Mendelson: Review: Straw Dogs (2011) Scott Mendelson 2011

  • Groups of men walked abreast with their arms linked clownishly.

    Pearls in Formation Brent Powers 2011

  • This version plays the same card, but adds some pretty on-the-nose political leanings as well, as James Marsden's David is a stereotypical 'latte-liberal' lives in Hollywood, atheist, Ivy-League educated, etc while the people he encounters in this new environment are almost clownishly 'Southern' in their appearance and behavior.

    Scott Mendelson: Review: Straw Dogs (2011) Scott Mendelson 2011

  • Yet, we still have our share of wild creatures, like the flock of turkeys I startled while walking my dogs, about a dozen prehistoric looking birds with gray wattles, brown feathers and clownishly large clawed feet.

    Holly Robinson: Moving Toward Self-Sustainability Holly Robinson 2010

  • Their eyes were outlined with mascara, freckles and rouge applied almost clownishly to their cheeks.

    Three Stations : An Arkady Renko Novel Martin Cruz Smith 2010

  • He held it aloft for a second or two, as if admiring (or puzzling over) the image of himself piping clownishly, mockingly, sensually, powerfully, in some forgotten time.

    La insistencia de Jürgen Fauth 2010

  • Putting his finger in his mouth, clownishly playing dumb, Buddy said he knew nothing about it.

    Beard 2010

  • He stood up again, laughing clownishly at his own cleverness.

    Let the Swords Encircle Me Scott Peterson 2010

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