ZANY Synonyms: 211 Similar and Opposite Words

zany 1 of 2

adjective

ˈzā-nē

Definition of zany

as in silly

showing or marked by a lack of good sense or judgment a zany plan to drive cross-country on a motorized scooter

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

zany

2 of 2

noun

as in clown

a comically dressed performer (as at a circus) who entertains with playful tricks and ridiculous behavior hired a zany to entertain the children at the birthday party

Synonyms & Similar Words

as in eccentric

a person of odd or whimsical habits one of the challenges of hosting a radio call-in program is preventing the zanies from completely taking over the discussion

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 zany

Adjective

And for those with a hankering for afternoon tea, the Upside Down tea party on Sundays is a zany take on a British tradition. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 13 May 2026 Nothing can top utterly zany inspiration of the postscript, which somehow involves a nuclear power plant and radioactive albino crocodiles. — Eric Kohn, IndieWire, 24 Apr. 2026 Neville is there for pitch meetings, where the current cast sits on the floor of Michaels’ office and throws out their zaniest ideas. — Patrick Ryan, USA Today, 17 Apr. 2026 All of the characters are beautifully zany, which keeps this series from imploding. — Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 9 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for zany

Recent Examples of Synonyms for zany

Adjective

The feds gave the state a silly 48-hour deadline to agree to change constitutional law, dump common sense and sequester these 20,000 ballots, if they were even returned, to double-check they were cast by valid voters.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 20 Oct. 2026
Performed by legends Julie Andrews and Dick Van Dyke, the silly song is a tongue-twister for kiddos, and the titular word, which means ‘extraordinarily good, wonderful’ even made its way into some real deal dictionaries.

— Stephanie Ganz Published, Parents, 18 Oct. 2026

Definition of silly

Noun

Janney’s Silda, the wisecracking eccentric with an ax to grind, is the live wire of the company.

— Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 19 Oct. 2026
The public reckonings with these figures’ legacies—the troubled former child star gone too soon, the beloved icon, the cult favorite, the complicated eccentric—have come in a cascade.

— Michael Schulman, New Yorker, 5 Sep. 2026

Definition of eccentric

Noun

How to Make a Harlequin Pastry Pattern For the harlequin pattern on this citrusy pie’s top crust, prep and roll out pastry.

— Katlyn Moncada, Better Homes & Gardens, 10 Oct. 2026
The Cézanne is Arlequin, 1888-90, from a set of four harlequin paintings and the only one not held by a museum.

— News Desk, Artforum, 30 Sep. 2026

Definition of harlequin

Noun

Earlier versions looked unnaturally green, while the team also considered how the character’s skin would react to different lighting.

— Davide Abbatescianni, Variety, 15 Oct. 2026
Coleman said each design has its own distinct character and can be styled individually, either as a subtle everyday detail or a sculptural statement.

— Tianwei Zhang, Footwear News, 15 Oct. 2026

Definition of character

Adjective

This episode notably lacked any nod to Trump, though mentions of the president as a whole have been brief compared to the previous season, when the president was the show’s focal point for absurd antics.

— Payton Turkeltaub, Variety, 15 Oct. 2026
And Saturday’s win proved that his plan to pursue championships — something that seemed absurd amid a lost 2025 season — has a real possibility of paying off with one.

— Connor Dullinger, Los Angeles Times, 12 Oct. 2026

Definition of absurd

Noun

The general trivia and straight clues are also tough, and there’s a good amount of novelty, including 11 debut entries, a few oddballs among them, and one utterly brutal misdirect that significantly spiced up my solving experience.

— Caitlin Lovinger, New York Times, 17 Oct. 2026
Brecht once observed that Seghers thrived on the depiction of oddballs and loners.

— Alex Ross, New Yorker, 12 Oct. 2026

Definition of oddball

Browse Nearby Words

zaniness

zany

zap

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“Zany.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/zany. Accessed 22 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of zany

adjective

noun

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