clown on
(transitive, AAVE, or, internet slang) To mock; to ridicule.
Seen in the wild
The only acceptable way to get this game is 1. Pirate it and 2. Either shut the fuck up about it forever or accept that people are going to relentlessly clown on you for playing it
Reminds me of a would-be contract lawyer my dad used to clown on for writing stipulations that required the signatories not to make use of any loopholes
Or maybe it has Luke utterly clown on the (intentionally) least charismatic villain in the history of cinema in glorious fashion before going out on his own terms, his character arc complete, the student having become…
Scott Jennings gets a pass for being an ass-clown on CNN because he attracts Fox viewers.
rubbing my hands together as people clown on "the body keeps the score" i thought about trying to read it again, but it triggered me so bad in the intro that i probably shouldn't bother.
Definitions
(transitive, AAVE, or, internet slang) To mock; to ridicule.
“The only acceptable way to get this game is 1. Pirate it and 2. Either shut the fuck up about it forever or accept that people are going to relentlessly clown on you for playing it”
“Reminds me of a would-be contract lawyer my dad used to clown on for writing stipulations that required the signatories not to make use of any loopholes”
“rubbing my hands together as people clown on "the body keeps the score" i thought about trying to read it again, but it triggered me so bad in the intro that i probably shouldn't bother.”
“The only acceptable way to get this game is 1. Pirate it and 2. Either shut the fuck up about it forever or accept that people are going to relentlessly clown on you for playing it”
— Bluesky· May 2026“Reminds me of a would-be contract lawyer my dad used to clown on for writing stipulations that required the signatories not to make use of any loopholes”
— Bluesky· May 2026“Or maybe it has Luke utterly clown on the (intentionally) least charismatic villain in the history of cinema in glorious fashion before going out on his own terms, his character arc complete, the student having become the master and passed his wisdom to the next generation.”
— Bluesky· May 2026“Scott Jennings gets a pass for being an ass-clown on CNN because he attracts Fox viewers.”
— Bluesky· May 2026“rubbing my hands together as people clown on "the body keeps the score" i thought about trying to read it again, but it triggered me so bad in the intro that i probably shouldn't bother.”
— Bluesky· May 2026
Comments
Show 1 more dictionary-style sense (imported)
To mock; to ridicule.
"clown on" means: To mock; to ridicule.. This is a fairly neutral word with no inherent risk attached. There is no real cause for parental concern; it is descriptive vocabulary rather than something dangerous. If your child uses it, context will usually make the meaning clear. A brief, curious question about where they heard it is generally enough to know whether to follow up.
"clown on" means: To mock; to ridicule.. Register: neutral, standard English, usable in most everyday contexts. A common non-native mistake is to use the word in the wrong register, or to assume one fixed meaning when it is actually polysemous; always check the surrounding register and the audience before producing it yourself. In formal writing, prefer a neutral synonym or a short descriptive phrase, and use this word only when you have heard or read it being used naturally in a comparable context.
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