absurdity

noun

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ab·sur·di·ty | \ əb-ˈsər-də-tē

, -ˈzər-

plural absurdities

Definition of absurdity

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 More Example Sentences Learn More about absurdity

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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 In a year also engulfed in political partisanship and absurdity, some documentaries were particularly timely. — Will Coviello, NOLA.com, "Silver linings from a tough year for movie lovers," 28 Dec. 2020 Despite the colder weather, there are pockets of homeless tents and makeshift shelters for whom orders to stay inside remain our state’s shameful absurdity. — Joseph Horton, Time, "An After-Curfew Drive With My New Baby Brought the Lessons of the Pandemic Into Sharper Focus," 28 Dec. 2020 Bunga Bunga focuses on absurdity over abuse, the laughable over the sorrowful. — Eric Mcquade, The Atlantic, "The 50 Best Podcasts of 2020," 26 Dec. 2020 Take the slow, meandering road map of Joe Pera Talks With You, sprinkle in a little real-world absurdity from Nathan for You, and toss the whole thing in the bizarre cultural crockpot that is the streets of New York... — Ars Staff, Ars Technica, "TV Technica 2020: Our favorite shows and binges in a year of living distantly," 26 Dec. 2020 No need even to rule on the merits of such an absurdity. — Susan B. Glasser, The New Yorker, "It’s Not Just Trump’s War on Democracy Anymore," 11 Dec. 2020 So come for the delightful absurdity of Jordan trash-talking his old rivals after watching their interviews on an iPad (used as a great form device throughout). — Ars Staff, Ars Technica, "TV Technica 2020: Our favorite shows and binges in a year of living distantly," 26 Dec. 2020 The observed party split by voting method is key to understanding the absurdity of this claim. — Eric Litke, USA TODAY, "Fact check: Statistical analysis supporting pro-Trump Supreme Court case is 'ludicrous'," 11 Dec. 2020 So bundle up with some to-go coffee in hand, a mask by your side, and find a moment of distraction from a year with the scope of Tolstoy, the heaviness of Joan Didion, the absurdity of David Foster Wallace and the Gothic horror of Mary Shelley. — Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, "Column: This Mexican nerd’s guide to coronavirus lockdown reading," 6 Dec. 2020

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'absurdity.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.