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cockamamy

adjective

ˌkä-kə-ˈmā-mē How to pronounce cockamamy (audio)
variants or cockamamie
as in ridiculous
so foolish or pointless as to be worthy of scornful laughter a cockamamy plan that could only have been dreamt up by a cartoonish mad scientist

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 cockamamy Affleck directs and stars as Tony Mendez, a CIA exfiltration specialist who comes up with a cockamamie scheme to free a group of hostages hiding in the home of a Canadian diplomat. — Declan Gallagher, Entertainment Weekly, 26 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cockamamy
  1. ridiculous
  2. absurd
  3. silly
  4. pathetic
  5. foolish
  6. stupid
Adjective
  • One of the most ridiculous examples of antitrust as a weapon of government control came in 1967.
    — Sen. Rand Paul OutKick, FOXNews.com, 24 Sep. 2026
  • Verdict The 2026 Dodge Charger Scat Pack costs $59,685 including a ridiculous $1,995 destination fee.
    — Joel Feder, The Drive, 24 Sep. 2026
Definition of ridiculous
Adjective
  • Of course now, in the comfort of modernity, the whole idea seems absurd.
    — Jason O'Bryan, Robb Report, 19 Sep. 2026
  • Saying white players such as Clark or Bueckers should pay homage to their Black peers is as absurd as saying Steph Curry and Jalen Brunson should pay homage to their tall peers.
    — Matt Calkins OutKick, FOXNews.com, 19 Sep. 2026
Definition of absurd
Adjective
  • Whatever to the silly old poem and whatever to the ceremony and all its stupid little details and whatever to all the rules for daughters.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 22 Sep. 2026
  • His faith in the transformative power of a deeply silly musical about nosy neighbors provides the film with its strongest anchor of relatable humanity.
    — Joe Reid, Vulture, 21 Sep. 2026
Definition of silly
Adjective
  • The Chargers' offense mustered a pathetic 14 points all game.
    — Alejandro Avila OutKick, FOXNews.com, 21 Sep. 2026
  • It’s also brilliantly written as a futile, pathetic rebellion by men with zero agency or purpose in their own lives.
    — Jim Hemphill, IndieWire, 17 Sep. 2026
Definition of pathetic
Adjective
  • With Oracle having lost more than $20 billion in stock-market value today, this appears to be penny-wise and pound foolish.
    — Liz Hoffman, semafor.com, 24 Sep. 2026
  • While the era’s bust eventually brought most of those ventures to an end, Brown said the experience taught him not to let the fear of failure—or looking foolish—get in the way.
    — Preston Fore, Fortune, 20 Sep. 2026
Definition of foolish
Adjective
  • Whatever to the silly old poem and whatever to the ceremony and all its stupid little details and whatever to all the rules for daughters.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 22 Sep. 2026
  • Militarizing an arch in front of the Memorial Bridge is an even more dangerous and stupid idea than turning a ballroom into a bastion.
    — Tom Nichols, The Atlantic, 20 Sep. 2026
Definition of stupid

Browse Nearby Words

cockalorums
cockamamy
cock a snook (at)
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Cite this Entry

“Cockamamy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cockamamy. Accessed 29 Sep. 2026.

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