ridiculous

adjective

ri·​dic·​u·​lous rə-ˈdi-kyə-ləs How to pronounce ridiculous (audio)
: arousing or deserving ridicule : extremely silly or unreasonable : absurd, preposterous
ridiculousness noun
Choose the Right Synonym for ridiculous

laughable, ludicrous, ridiculous, comic, comical mean provoking laughter or mirth.

laughable applies to anything occasioning laughter.

laughable attempts at skating

ludicrous suggests absurdity that excites both laughter and scorn.

a thriller with a ludicrous plot

ridiculous suggests extreme absurdity, foolishness, or contemptibility.

a ridiculous display of anger

comic applies especially to what arouses thoughtful amusement.

a comic character

comical applies to what arouses spontaneous hilarity.

a comical hat

Examples of ridiculous in a Sentence

His band mates take the stage in ridiculous elf costumes—black tights, pointy felt hats. Jason Cohen, Rolling Stone, 23 Feb. 1995
I also poked fun at those ridiculous fins on the '59 Cadillac. The '60, now, that was something else, and I've thought highly enough of the design to have owned two of them. Marshall Schuon, New York Times, 30 June 1991
Take into account the artist's intention and choice of means. This sounds so elementary that it seems ridiculous to bring it up … Leonardo Shapiro, Village Voice, 27 Aug. 1991
It was absurd for him to paint portraits for pay, and ridiculous to paint them for nothing; so he did not paint them at all. William Dean Howells, The Rise of Silas Lapham, 1885
She looks ridiculous in that outfit. It was a ridiculous suggestion. That's an absolutely ridiculous price for that sweater.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Supreme Court justice calls it 'ridiculous' Trump cuts reach climate scientists who labored for free Kathryn Palmer is a national trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Kathryn Palmer, USA Today, 15 May 2025 Scott Maxwell: The idea of Pam Bondi – who was dogged by ethics scandals in Florida and worked as a lobbyist for Qatar – serving as an ethics advisor on whether Donald Trump should accept a free plane from Qatar is ridiculous. Scott Maxwell, The Orlando Sentinel, 14 May 2025 In a world where leaders seem eager to bend the knee to Trump’s every impulse, even the truly ridiculous seems plausible. Charlie Warzel, The Atlantic, 14 May 2025 Runner-up in 2024 thanks to Baby Lasagna’s ridiculous but infectious nü-metal throwback, the Balkan nation may well struggle to qualify with an entry that’s taken all the wrong lessons from last year’s winner. Jon O'Brien, Vulture, 13 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for ridiculous

Word History

Etymology

Latin ridiculosus (from ridiculum jest, from neuter of ridiculus) or ridiculus, literally, laughable, from ridēre to laugh

First Known Use

1550, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of ridiculous was in 1550

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Ridiculous.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ridiculous. Accessed 27 May. 2025.

Kids Definition

ridiculous

adjective
ri·​dic·​u·​lous rə-ˈdik-yə-ləs How to pronounce ridiculous (audio)
: causing or deserving ridicule : absurd, preposterous
ridiculously adverb
ridiculousness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on ridiculous

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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