slapstick
noun
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The idea that knocking people about made for good comedy dates as far back as the Greco-Roman theater, where clowns rambunctiously "attacked" one another onstage. The object from which the word slapstick derives, however, was invented in Italy in the 16th century. Renaissance comedy typically featured stock characters placed in ridiculous situations, and one such ubiquitous character was Harlequin, whose brilliant costuming made him easily recognizable. Harlequin was given to wielding a paddle which was designed to make a terrible noise when he hit someone, usually to the delight of the audience. This paddle was eventually known in English as a "slapstick," and it became a symbol of that type of highly physical comedy. The word slapstick then came to refer to the comedy itself.
Examples of slapstick in a Sentence
Ty Burr, Washington Post, 4 Apr. 2024
Streaming on Prime from March 7, the movie might tap into the nostalgia of audiences raised on the Farrelly brand of goofy raunch, gross-out laughs, slapstick, escalating chaos and sticky sentiment.
—David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 6 Mar. 2024
The clowns still perform their slapstick, and remain in their oversized costumes throughout the show, so that the audience can recognize the same performer at the beginning of the show and the ending.
—Jonathan Abrams, New York Times, 2 Mar. 2024
There are plenty of dad jokes and moments of slapstick humor.
—Bryan West, USA TODAY, 6 Feb. 2024
Also featuring '80s treasure Edie McClurg (Ferris Bueller's Day Off), Elvira: Mistress of the Dark is a good, old fashioned witch hunt — only this one features more slapstick than stonings.
—Randall Colburn, EW.com, 19 Dec. 2023
The film is a fun, slapstick comedy that traces the lives of three childhood friends who go on a trip to Goa (India) only to land in a series of troubles.
—Sweta Kaushal, Forbes, 29 Mar. 2024
The 1996 slapstick comedy stars Julie Bowen, Frances Bay, Kevin Nealon and Carl Weathers – who died last month at age 76 – alongside Sandler and McDonald.
—Alli Rosenbloom, CNN, 22 Mar. 2024
Editor’s picks At Nickelodeon, parents stood at the sidelines as kids took center stage: tackling slapstick skits, getting slimed, or completing Fear-Factor-like dares.
—Kalia Richardson, Rolling Stone, 16 Mar. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'slapstick.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Slapstick.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/slapstick. Accessed 19 Apr. 2024.
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