frivolous

adjective

ˈfri-və-ləs How to pronounce frivolous (audio)
Definition of frivolousnext
1
as in minor
lacking importance judges are getting sick of people bringing frivolous lawsuits

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 Does the ingredient list look promising, based on our collective decades spent interviewing chemists about the difference between capable ingredients and frivolous ones? — Elizabeth Siegel, Allure, 17 Sep. 2026 Strand cautioned Owens that his lack of legal representation doesn’t shield him from future sanctions for making frivolous claims. — Clark Kauffman, Iowa Capital Dispatch, 9 Sep. 2026 You could be tempted to dismiss a creative venture or categorize a social invite as frivolous, all because there are more productive things to do. — Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 2 Sep. 2026 Credit as a coping mechanism - Rossman pushes back on the idea that Gen Z debt comes from frivolous spending. — Andreina Rodriguez, CNBC, 1 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for frivolous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for frivolous
  1. minor
  2. silly
  3. small
  4. goofy
  5. little
  6. futile
  7. trivial
  8. giddy
Adjective
  • Raymar Fraser, 41, was arrested and charged with kidnapping, battery, and interfering with the custody of a minor.
    — Abby Dodge, CBS News, 11 Nov. 2026
  • Left-hander Braxton Garrett is out of minor-league options and must be on the pitching staff in some capacity.
    — Meghan Montemurro, Chicago Tribune, 11 Nov. 2026
Definition of minor
Adjective
  • Malkmus teases guitarist Greg Ginn for liking the Grateful Dead now and notes how sweet drummer Bill Stevenson seems for answering a reporter’s silly question so thoughtfully.
    — Grayson Haver Currin, Pitchfork, 10 Nov. 2026
  • Still, beyond those sillier antics, Fantano’s content come with breathless vigor and detailed context and research.
    — Ethan Millman, HollywoodReporter, 10 Nov. 2026
Definition of silly
Adjective
  • Murphy said doctors diagnosed him with a small hemorrhagic stroke, which is a bleed in the brain.
    — Kevin Freking, Los Angeles Times, 7 Nov. 2026
  • This design improves control over unwanted current leakage as transistors become smaller.
    — Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 7 Nov. 2026
Definition of small
Adjective
  • An alligator with a goofy sense of humor crawled through the back door of a North Carolina bagel shop, then stood at the front counter as if waiting to take someone’s order.
    — Mark Price, Charlotte Observer, 30 Oct. 2026
  • His presence was transformative; Stewart made the goofiest, most easily disregarded TV franchise for nerds and nobodies into a work full of warmth and gravitas.
    — Kathryn VanArendonk, Vulture, 30 Oct. 2026
Definition of goofy
Adjective
  • While sharing little in common with dueling-guitar acts such as the Allman Brothers Band or ’70s contemporaries the Eagles and Fleetwood Mac, Television also drew its power from the preternatural rapport between Verlaine and Lloyd’s instruments.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 8 Nov. 2026
  • The lines of control in the country changed little for years, and a truce was reached in 2022.
    — AHMED HATEM, Arkansas Online, 8 Nov. 2026
Definition of little
Adjective
  • The motives and rooting interest are uncomplicated and impossible to misinterpret, and each straightforward emotional beat is delivered with such sincere and amplified force that resistance is futile.
    — Jim Hemphill, IndieWire, 6 Nov. 2026
  • Gina seems committed to another Heather takedown, no matter how futile those efforts are.
    — Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 4 Nov. 2026
Definition of futile
Adjective
  • These sounds are strange bedfellows, but the delirium rarely feels indulgent or trivial.
    — Kieran Press-Reynolds, Pitchfork, 26 Oct. 2026
  • Wiring the Teensy to the magnetic-imaging tile was trivial, only complicated by the fact that one side of the board has a silk-screen error that misidentifies the SPI connections (SparkFun says this will be fixed in future runs of the board).
    — Stephen Cass, IEEE Spectrum, 26 Oct. 2026
Definition of trivial
Adjective
  • Episodes easily conveyed the filmmakers’ giddy excitement for the next big battle scene, the next big twist, and the next big moment in their Tolkien translation.
    — Ben Travers, IndieWire, 10 Nov. 2026
  • The film’s giddy opening moments fall into a tradition of New York movies that sweep us up, in a disorienting, intoxicating blur, into the city’s after-hours enclaves.
    — Justin Chang, New Yorker, 6 Nov. 2026
Definition of giddy

Browse Nearby Words

frivolity
frivolous
frivolousness
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Frivolous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/frivolous. Accessed 13 Nov. 2026.

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