frivolous

adjective

friv·o·lous ˈfri-və-ləs

Synonyms of frivolous next

: of little weight or importance

She thinks window shopping is a frivolous activity.

: having no sound basis (as in fact or law)

a frivolous lawsuit

: lacking in seriousness

a frivolous conversation

: marked by unbecoming levity

was criticized for his frivolous behavior in court

frivolously adverb

frivolousness noun

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A Serious Discussion About the Meaning of Frivolous

The word frivolous is applied to things that don't deserve serious attention—though in some cases a thing described as "frivolous" is serious enough to be a legal matter.

In its most basic, and oldest, uses, frivolous simply describes things of little importance. You can refer to anything you don't find worthwhile—from silly products to outrageous forms of entertainment to goofy pursuits—as "frivolous." Something that in a more technical sense lacks seriousness can also be described with the word; a frivolous essay or book isn't dealing with important topics or ideas. In applying the word frivolous to something, you're saying it doesn't deserve serious attention.

The word frivolous gets more serious when it's applied, as it often is, to legal matters. If a lawsuit is said to be frivolous, it cannot be successfully argued (because, for example, a successful argument would require that a widely rejected legal theory be accepted) or that laws—or the facts—don't support it.

Example Sentences

She knew that people might think her frivolous, Kitty said, to talk to some saint when she had a cooking disaster, but that was what she really believed the saints were there for. —

Alice Munro, New Yorker, 8 Oct. 2001

As the Explorer quickly became the most popular SUV of all time … a number of lawsuits concerning the Firestone tires were filed, the first in 1992. But Ford and Firestone, like most companies in today's … society, tend to assume that the bulk of legal actions are frivolous. —

Daniel Eisenberg, Time, 11 Sept. 2000

There is no frivolous decoration, no canned music, nothing but the essentials—well-worn cutlery and table linen, unpretentious glasses. —

Peter Mayle, GQ, May 1998

She thinks window shopping is a frivolous activity. judges are getting sick of people bringing frivolous lawsuits

Recent Examples on the Web The menu includes a mix of classic cocktails like martinis and Sazeracs, and wonderfully frivolous craft cocktails like the Butterfly Effect, a blend of gin, amaro, pear cognac, green Chartreuse, raspberry Demerara, lemon juice and orange bitters. —

Rebecca Treon, Chron, 24 Mar. 2023 Fear of a hypothetical frivolous lawsuit that would certainly be dismissed is not a good reason for hospital attorneys to advise their clients to endanger the lives of women. —

John Mccormack, National Review, 22 Mar. 2023 Many states have some version of this law, which is designed to protect publishers from expensive, frivolous lawsuits. —

Fabio Bertoni, The New Yorker, 6 Mar. 2023 Rossini wrote an opera buffa, an essentially frivolous piece with a whole lot of gorgeous music. —

Michael Phillips, Chicago Tribune, 8 Feb. 2023 But the same principle applied to as seemingly frivolous a trick as the Egg Bag, in which an egg vanishes and reappears in a black bag. —

Shuja Haider, New York Times, 2 Jan. 2023 Some of the most popular prop bets can seem frivolous: Will the coin toss be heads or tails? —

Will Yakowicz, Forbes, 10 Feb. 2023 Spending $60 on a small house that may or may not get used by squirrels seemed frivolous to me, but in the middle of the pandemic, any kind of distraction also felt worth it. —

Kelly Mcmasters, The Atlantic, 1 Jan. 2023 In fact, the manner in which most newsrooms covered this story is particularly disappointing given that just earlier this month, a federal judge admonished Trump and his legal team for filing what was deemed a frivolous lawsuit. —

Oliver Darcy, CNN, 31 Jan. 2023 See More

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

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Latin frivolus

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler

The first known use of frivolous was in the 15th century

See more words from the same century

Cite this Entry

Style

“Frivolous.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/frivolous. Accessed 29 Mar. 2023.

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Kids Definition

frivolous

adjective

friv·o·lous ˈfriv-(ə-)ləs

: of little importance : trivial

a frivolous complaint

: lacking in seriousness

a frivolous attitude about a serious matter

frivolously adverb

frivolousness noun

Legal Definition

frivolous

adjective

friv·o·lous ˈfri-və-ləs

: lacking in any arguable basis or merit in either law or fact

Note: In an attempt to discourage frivolous lawsuits, Rule 11 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure requires the signature of an attorney or party on any pleading, motion, or other paper to certify that to the signer's knowledge it is grounded in fact and warranted by law or otherwise brought in good faith and not for an improper purpose. A court is authorized to impose sanctions for violation of the rule.