absurdity

noun

ab·​sur·​di·​ty əb-ˈsər-də-tē  -ˈzər- 

plural absurdities

1

: the quality or state of being absurd : absurdness

They laughed at the absurdity of the situation.

2

: something that is absurd

the absurdities of life

Synonyms of absurdity

• insanity
• idiocy

Examples of absurdity in a Sentence

to say men can't cook as well as women is of course an absurdity

the absurdity of expecting a 98-year-old woman to adequately supervise four six-year-olds

Recent Examples on the Web

Get ready for a chaotic, genre-bending ride through the glorious absurdities of modern life! — Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 16 Sep. 2026

The absurdity of policymakers learning about oil markets now only highlights why investors shouldn't focus on internal debates about which monetary levers to push and pull. — Michael Khouw, CNBC, 14 Sep. 2026

What now feels like the absurdity of the moment registered as something deathly serious at the time. — Jeff Ihaza, Rolling Stone, 14 Sep. 2026

Coworkers spin up absurd theories about each other, and this setting—the office as the most fertile breeding ground for speculation—allows Park’s absurdities to bend plausibility without breaking it. — James Folta, Literary Hub, 10 Sep. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English absurditee "dissonance, unjust practice," borrowed from Middle French or Late Latin; Middle French absurdité, borrowed from Late Latin absurditāt-, absurditās, from Latin absurdus absurd entry 1 + -itāt-, -itās -ity

First Known Use

circa 1525, in the meaning defined at sense 2