preposterous

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adjective pre·pos·ter·ous \ pri-ˈpäs-t(ə-)rəs \

Definition of preposterous

:contrary to nature, reason, or common sense :absurd

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preposterously

adverb

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preposterousness

noun

See preposterous defined for English-language learners

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Examples of preposterous in a Sentence

The whole idea is preposterous!
the idea that extraterrestrials built the pyramids is preposterous

Recent Examples of preposterous from the Web

Questions that would have seemed preposterous not long ago have been posed recently by serious players on the local scene and well-connected U of L insiders.

— tim sullivan, The Courier-Journal, "Adidas deal should ease friction at University of Louisville | Tim Sullivan," 25 Aug. 2017
A 20-homer season for Andrus, once thought to be preposterous, is well within reach.

— jeff wilson, star-telegram, "Rangers respect Andrus’ power threat, but do opposing pitchers?," 17 Aug. 2017
T-bill rates jump even as Republican lawmakers give assurances Ideological divide, Trump’s unpredictability shake confidence In many ways, the thought that the United States of America would default is utterly preposterous.

— brian chappatta, Bloomberg.com, "U.S. Default? Unlikely, But Bond Traders Are Taking No Chances," 13 Aug. 2017
Common sense is fungible, and what qualifies in one age sounds preposterous in another.

— david a. graham, The Atlantic, "Why Trump Invokes ‘Common Sense’," 4 Aug. 2017
Rudolph somehow has a lower ADP (TE10) than Hunter Henry, which is preposterous.

— pat fitzmaurice, SI.com, "Minnesota Vikings Fantasy Football 2017 Preview: What Is Value of Rookie RB Dalvin Cook?," 2 Aug. 2017
Rewald and Smith’s assertions sometimes seemed preposterous, as if lifted from a convoluted spy novel.

— Longreads, "How to Get Away with Spying for the Enemy," 20 July 2017
Aside from being a somewhat preposterous notion for a team that hasn’t sniffed the postseason since 2001, the rules for this year’s game have changed.

— ryan divish, The Seattle Times, "Mariners’ Robinson Cano homers in 10th to give American League 2-1 All-Star Game victory," 11 July 2017
But the notion that up to 5 million people fraudulently voted is preposterous.

— lauren ritchie, OrlandoSentinel.com, "Governor should stay away from President's toxic voting commission," 7 July 2017

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