1
as in absurd
conceived or made without regard for reason or reality
a nonsensical decision that didn't take account of all of the facts
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in silly
showing or marked by a lack of good sense or judgment
your plan to lose weight through total starvation is completely nonsensical
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of nonsensical
That’s only true if the data centers were to be developed regardless of the tax exemption … which is nonsensical.
—
Dp Opinion, Denver Post, 28 Mar. 2026
Calculus relies on the notions of infinity and infinitely small quantities (called infinitesimals), but Newton and Leibniz defined these concepts in vague geometric terms; used incorrectly, their formulas could lead to nonsensical calculations, like division by zero.
—Leila Sloman, Quanta Magazine, 25 Mar. 2026
That space seems to consist of a labyrinthine maze of strange, unsettling and nonsensical rooms underneath a furniture store.
—David Faris, TheWeek, 25 Mar. 2026
These, too, have been confounding to the point of nonsensical.
—Susan B. Glasser, New Yorker, 12 Mar. 2026
This was a stupid, nonsensical game but it will — outside of south Buckinghamshire at least — be remembered for all the right reasons.
—Duncan Alexander, New York Times, 8 Mar. 2026
Muscle trucks are a long and proud tradition for American automakers, who frequently compete to make the most nonsensical vehicles possible, like a 700-horsepower Ford F-150.
—Erik Shilling, Robb Report, 4 Mar. 2026
If the 49ers were to cut Williams in the coming days with a post-June 1 designation, the dead-cap hit makes the decision nonsensical.
—Dieter Kurtenbach, Mercury News, 25 Feb. 2026
She had been blamed for breaking up the greatest band of all time; her art was pretentious and nonsensical; her music was unlistenable.
—Sadie Sartini Garner, Pitchfork, 21 Feb. 2026
Dp Opinion, Denver Post, 28 Mar. 2026
Calculus relies on the notions of infinity and infinitely small quantities (called infinitesimals), but Newton and Leibniz defined these concepts in vague geometric terms; used incorrectly, their formulas could lead to nonsensical calculations, like division by zero.
—Leila Sloman, Quanta Magazine, 25 Mar. 2026
That space seems to consist of a labyrinthine maze of strange, unsettling and nonsensical rooms underneath a furniture store.
—David Faris, TheWeek, 25 Mar. 2026
These, too, have been confounding to the point of nonsensical.
—Susan B. Glasser, New Yorker, 12 Mar. 2026
This was a stupid, nonsensical game but it will — outside of south Buckinghamshire at least — be remembered for all the right reasons.
—Duncan Alexander, New York Times, 8 Mar. 2026
Muscle trucks are a long and proud tradition for American automakers, who frequently compete to make the most nonsensical vehicles possible, like a 700-horsepower Ford F-150.
—Erik Shilling, Robb Report, 4 Mar. 2026
If the 49ers were to cut Williams in the coming days with a post-June 1 designation, the dead-cap hit makes the decision nonsensical.
—Dieter Kurtenbach, Mercury News, 25 Feb. 2026
She had been blamed for breaking up the greatest band of all time; her art was pretentious and nonsensical; her music was unlistenable.
—Sadie Sartini Garner, Pitchfork, 21 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for nonsensical
Adjective
-
This series is inspired by the shocking and absurd true story of the suburban dentist who built a drug empire behind the façade of the American dream.—
Nellie Andreeva,
Deadline,
2 Apr. 2026
-
To consider Karaban as anything but an abject success story is absurd.—
Dana O’Neil,
CNN Money,
2 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
The group never uses the word unless there is something silly going on.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
3 Apr. 2026
-
For Grabinski, what unites all of these projects is the fine art of creating a world that is emotionally smart yet deeply silly, fun, and expressive.—
Sarah Shachat,
IndieWire,
2 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
The goggles, the GPS address and the laptop — all of it was strong evidence supporting the bizarre story Denise and Aaron had been telling all along.—
Lauren Clark,
CBS News,
29 Mar. 2026
-
His YouTube page, once an online venue for his songs, was more recently dedicated to paranoid rants about his family members, some centering on his relationship with his grandfather, and others where Valdez displayed bizarre behavior like imitating Nazi soldiers.—
Nate Gartrell,
Mercury News,
29 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Of course, sometimes the situation is more serious than stupid.—
Isaac Stanley-Becker,
The Atlantic,
31 Mar. 2026
-
The American people are not stupid and will not accept more failure theater from Republicans in Congress.—
Lauren Green,
The Washington Examiner,
25 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Evening rush-hour commuters — who thought winter was over — felt foolish after the city was socked with a record-breaking spring snowfall.—
Kori Rumore,
Chicago Tribune,
1 Apr. 2026
-
The glamorous branding of premium cards can also lead some consumers to make foolish mistakes by running up high-interest credit card debt.—
Jeff John Roberts,
Fortune,
30 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
This is not your $65,000-a-year job, someone who’s a janitor and is trying to talk in a school board meeting who really could lose his job for this opinion, which is insane.—
Ryan Morik,
FOXNews.com,
2 Apr. 2026
-
Three years after Steven Yeun and Ali Wong captured the attention of viewers eager to see the culmination of their characters' insane road rage fight, the drama series is back, this time focusing on two couples with a new kind of beef.—
Madeleine Janz,
PEOPLE,
1 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
The crossover energy is unreal.—
Hanna Wickes,
Sacbee.com,
27 Mar. 2026
-
Dissociation is a common response to traumatic stress that can include amnesia, feelings that things are unreal or feeling disconnected from what is happening.—
Anne P. DePrince,
The Conversation,
23 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Anything can happen, and everything's crazy.—
Matthew Couden,
MSNBC Newsweek,
30 Mar. 2026
-
Folks need to remember this in November, because Uthmeier is raising money like crazy in a bid to take the AG’s job for real.—
Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board,
The Orlando Sentinel,
29 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Nonsensical.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nonsensical. Accessed 4 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
