1
as in minor
lacking importance
judges are getting sick of people bringing frivolous lawsuits
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in silly
lacking in seriousness or maturity
when asked by the waiter if we wanted anything else that evening, we made a frivolous request for free drinks
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 frivolous
Denver, the state of Colorado, and James Comey are most likely incurring a great deal of expense in defending these frivolous actions.
—
Dp Opinion, Denver Post, 7 May 2026
Democrats see it as a frivolous investigation that lays the groundwork for disputes during the midterms and sows doubts about the integrity of the state’s electoral process.
—Caleb Groves, AJC.com, 7 May 2026
Women’s interests have long been considered frivolous—especially if such interests involve expressing emotion; talking about their feelings with each other; or navigating status and power outside of, or in direct opposition to, their relationships with straight men.
—Daisy Jones, Vogue, 2 May 2026
All of this has squandered public resources by requiring frivolous elections and special legislative sessions and abused the public’s trust.
—Dallas Morning News, Twin Cities, 1 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for frivolous
Dp Opinion, Denver Post, 7 May 2026
Democrats see it as a frivolous investigation that lays the groundwork for disputes during the midterms and sows doubts about the integrity of the state’s electoral process.
—Caleb Groves, AJC.com, 7 May 2026
Women’s interests have long been considered frivolous—especially if such interests involve expressing emotion; talking about their feelings with each other; or navigating status and power outside of, or in direct opposition to, their relationships with straight men.
—Daisy Jones, Vogue, 2 May 2026
All of this has squandered public resources by requiring frivolous elections and special legislative sessions and abused the public’s trust.
—Dallas Morning News, Twin Cities, 1 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for frivolous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for frivolous
Adjective
-
The Chicago Cubs Triple-A affiliate had a night game Friday, and the infielder wanted the extra time to rest about a month into the grueling minor-league season.—
Andy Martinez,
Chicago Tribune,
24 May 2026
-
The recent Mother’s Day confrontation at Arthur’s Prime Steakhouse in Little Rock arrived accompanied by cellphone footage, influencer commentary, competing eyewitness narratives, reaction videos and enough online forensic analysis to qualify as a minor branch of cable-news jurisprudence.—
Philip Martin,
Arkansas Online,
23 May 2026
Adjective
-
Even though the percentages and point-system, along with simulcast rules, can seem silly and out of touch with creative and investment reality, CanCon made possible global hits like Crave and HBO’s hockey romance series Heated Rivalry.—
Dominic Patten,
Deadline,
21 May 2026
-
That tension — something prosaic or silly culminating in something hilarious and transfixing — achieved what poor Vandenberg and her pratfalls could not.—
Anna Peele,
Vulture,
20 May 2026
Adjective
-
The hit was a small smudge on Bruins ace Taylor Tinsley’s line, finishing with two strikeouts and three hits across the five innings.—
Liana Handler,
Los Angeles Times,
23 May 2026
-
Four nations will be making their debut next month, including tiny Curaçao, the smallest by population ever to qualify.—
James Robson,
Chicago Tribune,
23 May 2026
Adjective
-
The goofy quest is a Reply All trope; the pair once travelled to the Middle East to track down a hacker who tried to take over their personal computers.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
20 May 2026
-
Where Iain was tart, Hoffman was goofy and glib, using the jokey pitch modulations of a fake talk-show host to let viewers know that the Islanders’ doings were ridiculous.—
Anna Peele,
Vulture,
20 May 2026
Adjective
-
Below, shop the best little black dresses inspired by Michele’s posh, minimalist look for under $60 at Amazon, including knee-length, midi, and maxi options.—
Sian Babish,
PEOPLE,
24 May 2026
-
More than 100 little, laughing faces were yelling thank you.—
Brian Lamar,
Sun Sentinel,
24 May 2026
Adjective
-
But this story has a happier, less futile ending.—
Deborah Treisman,
New Yorker,
17 May 2026
-
To complain about cramps was futile.—
Nami Mun,
The Atlantic,
16 May 2026
Adjective
-
Where the Parallels Still Matter Despite these differences, the similarities are not trivial.—
Ariel Cohen,
Forbes.com,
18 May 2026
-
A hill of beans isn't so trivial anymore.—
Joe Hernandez,
NPR,
18 May 2026
Adjective
-
Just like the boys, Nana was as giddy to feed the donkeys grass pellets that sold for a dollar a bag.—
Sarah D. Wire,
USA Today,
17 May 2026
-
Not as giddy While semis have gone vertical, the headline indexes have not gone nearly as far or as fast as in the '99 crescendo.—
Michael Santoli,
CNBC,
12 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Frivolous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/frivolous. Accessed 24 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
