ridiculous

adjective

ri·​dic·​u·​lous rə-ˈdi-kyə-ləs How to pronounce ridiculous (audio)
: arousing or deserving ridicule : extremely silly or unreasonable : absurd, preposterous
ridiculousness noun
Choose the Right Synonym for ridiculous

laughable, ludicrous, ridiculous, comic, comical mean provoking laughter or mirth.

laughable applies to anything occasioning laughter.

laughable attempts at skating

ludicrous suggests absurdity that excites both laughter and scorn.

a thriller with a ludicrous plot

ridiculous suggests extreme absurdity, foolishness, or contemptibility.

a ridiculous display of anger

comic applies especially to what arouses thoughtful amusement.

a comic character

comical applies to what arouses spontaneous hilarity.

a comical hat

Examples of ridiculous in a Sentence

His band mates take the stage in ridiculous elf costumes—black tights, pointy felt hats. Jason Cohen, Rolling Stone, 23 Feb. 1995
I also poked fun at those ridiculous fins on the '59 Cadillac. The '60, now, that was something else, and I've thought highly enough of the design to have owned two of them. Marshall Schuon, New York Times, 30 June 1991
Take into account the artist's intention and choice of means. This sounds so elementary that it seems ridiculous to bring it up … Leonardo Shapiro, Village Voice, 27 Aug. 1991
It was absurd for him to paint portraits for pay, and ridiculous to paint them for nothing; so he did not paint them at all. William Dean Howells, The Rise of Silas Lapham, 1885
She looks ridiculous in that outfit. It was a ridiculous suggestion. That's an absolutely ridiculous price for that sweater.
Recent Examples on the Web Ultimately, her cause of death was both ridiculous and gross (sucked out the side of an airplane and crushed under debris). TIME, 14 Mar. 2024 Which made the fakery both ridiculous and — for anyone who has ever tried to get three kids to stay still and smile at the same time — kind of sympathetic. Sharp. Karla Adam, Washington Post, 11 Mar. 2024 The concept of vulgarity belonged to an unfair and ridiculous and long-gone world of discrimination. Joseph O’Neill, The New Yorker, 11 Mar. 2024 The fight scenes in Liman’s Road House are just as bloody and ridiculous as those in Herrington’s. Lovia Gyarkye, The Hollywood Reporter, 8 Mar. 2024 While the price of $790 sounds almost ridiculous today, the average wage in 1939 was only $1,266 per year. David Krumboltz, The Mercury News, 3 Mar. 2024 Along the way, the show took shots at Glee's clichés, constant talk of regionals, ridiculous mash-ups, and so much more. Chancellor Agard, EW.com, 6 Mar. 2024 Match called the lawsuit ridiculous and said its products are designed to get people off the apps and on real-life dates. Tatum Hunter, Washington Post, 6 Mar. 2024 Through a series of hilarious and often ridiculous events, the film examines themes of family, friendship, and the challenges of growing up. Travis Bean, Forbes, 1 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'ridiculous.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Latin ridiculosus (from ridiculum jest, from neuter of ridiculus) or ridiculus, literally, laughable, from ridēre to laugh

First Known Use

1550, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of ridiculous was in 1550

Dictionary Entries Near ridiculous

Cite this Entry

“Ridiculous.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ridiculous. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

ridiculous

adjective
ri·​dic·​u·​lous rə-ˈdik-yə-ləs How to pronounce ridiculous (audio)
: causing or deserving ridicule : absurd, preposterous
ridiculously adverb
ridiculousness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on ridiculous

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