The 🤡 Clown Emoji: Meanings, How to Use It, and More

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The modern texter’s guide on one of the most popular emojis

Co-authored by Eric McClure Reviewed by Candace Gasper

Last Updated: June 3, 2025 Fact Checked

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🤡 (Clown Emoji) Meanings & Usage

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Replying to 🤡 (Clown Emoji)

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🤡 (Clown Emoji) Alternatives

The 🤡 (clown emoji) is a favorite among the trendy Snapchat users, Twitter fanatics, and Instagram influencers for good reason. This emoji is versatile, and it’s a unique standout in a world full of yellow smileys. But there are a few different ways to use this one, and there’s a surprising amount of nuance for a little emoticon. In this article, we’ll break down what this emoji means, how to use it, and how to reply to it depending on how the other person is using it.

Things You Should Know

The 🤡 (clown emoji) is most often used to express minor embarrassment at a mistake you’ve made.
You can also use the 🤡 (clown emoji) to playfully poke fun at someone you’re disagreeing with.
In some cases, the 🤡 (clown emoji) is used to note that someone or something is creepy or scary.

Section 1 of 3:

🤡 (Clown Emoji) Meanings & Usage

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1
Use a 🤡 emoji to convey that you’ve made a goofy mistake. If you screw something up or make a funny mistake, you might use a 🤡 to poke fun at yourself. It’s a way of acknowledging your blunder and showing the person you’re talking to that you aren’t super uptight.^{[1]
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- “Guess who cracked their tooth on a soft-shell taco 🤡”
- “Ugh, I wrote the wrong date in my calendar 🤡”
- “When I was a kid, I thought the tooth fairy was actually made of teeth 🤡”
2
Try dropping a 🤡 emoji to mock someone playfully. If you’re having a disagreement with someone, a sly little 🤡 can throw some salt in their wound and really drive home how you feel. It’s best to use this one sarcastically with someone who knows you aren’t being serious, since it can come as really aggressive and rude in the wrong context.^{[2]
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- “You would think LeBron is better than Curry 🤡”
- “Total 🤡 opinion. There’s no way I wouldn’t rock you in Smash Bros.”
- “Stop being goofy 🤡”
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Use the 🤡 emoji to note that someone or something is creepy or scary. When you really look closely, the 🤡 emoji is kind of off-putting. In fact, clowns in general can just kind of…not be a vibe. As a result, a lot of people use the 🤡 as a substitute for “creep” or “lowlife.” You can also use it to signal that you’re scared of something.^{[3]
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- “He’s a total 🤡”
- “I know a lot of people like Mr. Dawkins, but he’s kinda sus to me 🤡”
- “I would never sleep at a haunted house 🤡”

Section 2 of 3:

Replying to 🤡 (Clown Emoji)

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1
Play along with the gag if someone is being self-deprecating. If the person you’re talking to is using the 🤡 emoji to playfully poke at their own foolishness, you can keep it going by goofing around with them. They’re clearly not super upset if they’re dropping the clown emoji, so don’t feel bad about leaning into it.
- Them: “I think I failed that test. Guess not studying wasn’t the move 🤡”
- You: “No, probably not. You normally pass tests by doing that studying thing.”
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Snap back with a witty retort if they’re being rude. If they’re using the 🤡 to poke at you in a sort of competitive way, don’t take it lying down! Come back with a zinger of your own. Throw some sass back at them.^{[4]
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- Them: “I’d break your ankles on the basketball court, you ain’t ready 🤡”
- You: “That’s a lot of confidence coming from someone who’s going to lose 😬”
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Soothe their fears or play up the spookiness if they’re creeped out. If they use the 🤡 to convey that they find someone or something creepy (or scary), you might agree with them. Alternatively, you could assure them there’s nothing to be afraid of. It all depends on how they’re using the emoji.
- Them: “I really don’t know about Caleb. He kind of gives me 🤡 vibes.”
- You: “No, he’s actually really sweet. You just need to get to know him better.”

Section 3 of 3:

🤡 (Clown Emoji) Alternatives

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1
Try a 😬 (grimacing face) to convey you’ve made a mistake. Any emoji that looks anything like the face someone could make when they step on a Lego should work to replace the 🤡 emoji when you’re poking fun at yourself. This kind of awkward “oopsie” energy is great if you’re poking fun at a mistake.^{[5]
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Research source} You might also try:
- The 😐 (neutral face emoji). Like, “I can’t believe I dropped my lunch tray in front of everybody 😐”
- The 🥴 (woozy face emoji). As in, “Please tell me I didn’t hit ‘reply all’ on that email 🥴”
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Use the 😂 (laughing emoji) if you want to mock or poke fun. A lot of people use the laughing emoji the same way they’d use 🤡 when arguing with someone, insulting them, or poking fun. The implication here is that the other person is being so silly or pathetic that you can’t help but laugh at them. Other potential options that work along these lines include:
- The 😆 (grinning emoji). As in, “Don’t tell me you’re wearing that old suit to the dance 😆”
- The 🤣 (rolling laughing emoji). Like, “Bro, you can’t touch me on the court 🤣🤣🤣”
3
Pick a 🤢 (sick face) if someone is creepy. The 🤡 emoji is certainly creepy enough, but it’s a little too easy to mistake it for a funny clown instead of a shady one. The 🤢 emoji might do a slightly better job at conveying that sense of “grossed out” you’re looking for.^{[6]
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Research source} You might also try:
- The 👺 (goblin emoji). This is a more playful variant. You might say, “Eww, Karen is such a 👺. Did you see what she was wearing today?”