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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 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 Maxwell, serving a 20-year sentence in a Texas federal prison camp, had argued she was selectively prosecuted as a scapegoat, but the judge dismissed those claims as frivolous. — Michael R. Sisak, Los Angeles Times, 25 Aug. 2026 In the tumultuous, post-COVID global landscape, there’s something fundamentally frivolous about getting wrapped up in your own personal dramas. — Wilson Chapman, IndieWire, 21 Aug. 2026 Thousands of drivers are still buying new vehicles despite sky-high prices, but there's strong demand for advanced driver assistance, safety and comfort features that were once considered frivolous luxuries. — Charles Singh, USA Today, 6 Aug. 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
  • Once in orbit at L2, only minor burns once every 28 days are needed for station keeping — a negligible amount of fuel.
    — Keith Cooper, Space.com, 15 Sep. 2026
  • Everyone wants better decisions, particularly when their own team is on the wrong end of an injustice, minor or major.
    — Oliver Kay, New York Times, 15 Sep. 2026
Definition of minor
Adjective
  • That being said, the Ravens offense made the Colts look silly.
    — Ted Nguyen, New York Times, 15 Sep. 2026
  • Barisone’s proposition was that everything that followed—months of living and working together, silly texts—was done in the shadow of that threat.
    — Ian Parker, New Yorker, 14 Sep. 2026
Definition of silly
Adjective
  • Rooms This is a big hotel, with 177 rooms and suites that range in size and shape from the smallest superior rooms to the impressive top-floor penthouse.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 18 Sep. 2026
  • Newsom, in his veto message at the time, cited concerns about stifling innovation and said smaller AI models, which would have been exempt from the law, could also be dangerous.
    — Dakota Smith, Los Angeles Times, 18 Sep. 2026
Definition of small
Adjective
  • The only player who can match Mbappé for talent is Haaland who, unlike Mbappé, has a goofy, accessible and affable persona online.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 15 Sep. 2026
  • But his firmly comedic approach, primarily filtered through goofy ironic commentary in the tradition of Monty Python, makes the specificity of his survey go down smoothly.
    — Vikram Murthi, IndieWire, 14 Sep. 2026
Definition of goofy
Adjective
  • If that prediction misses, then manufacturers have little opportunity to change course.
    — Sally C. Pipes, Chicago Tribune, 20 Sep. 2026
  • But my little Outlander sweeties, this is not just any reverend, this is Reverend Wakefield.
    — Maggie Fremont, Vulture, 19 Sep. 2026
Definition of little
Adjective
  • It’s also brilliantly written as a futile, pathetic rebellion by men with zero agency or purpose in their own lives.
    — Jim Hemphill, IndieWire, 17 Sep. 2026
  • Not that Georgian masculinity, with its macho, bellicose posturing and archaic codes of honor, is portrayed as anything other than fumbling and futile.
    — Jessica Kiang, Variety, 16 Sep. 2026
Definition of futile
Adjective
  • One of the most interesting and useful things that romantic drama, classic or modern, can do is to distinguish essential characteristics from trivial ones.
    — Richard Brody, New Yorker, 9 Sep. 2026
  • At the same time, the impact/value can be low when autonomous operations are only applied to trivial, time-consuming tasks.
    — Karthik Kannan, Forbes.com, 8 Sep. 2026
Definition of trivial
Adjective
  • With the film set to go into production in fall 2027 in Alberta, Canada, and Switzerland, Meier is giddy about the prospect of painting on a broader canvas than ever before.
    — Christopher Vourlias, Variety, 3 Sep. 2026
  • The attendees were hip, all ages, and slightly giddy, ready to have whales blow their minds.
    — Sarah Larson, New Yorker, 31 Aug. 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 23 Sep. 2026.

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