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
  • There were other, more minor, signs that suggested the Republican senator might be in trouble.
    — Kacen Bayless, Kansas City Star, 4 Nov. 2026
  • In the case of a minor stroke, which is often referred to as a transient ischemic attack or a warning stroke, the person doesn’t suffer lasting effects.
    — Livi Stanford, Hartford Courant, 3 Nov. 2026
Definition of minor
Adjective
  • What became apparent to us was that the game was like a sponge for silly ideas.
    — Destiny Jackson, Deadline, 1 Nov. 2026
  • This week was packed with pre-midterm drama, of which only the silliest is in the quiz.
    — Holly J. Morris, NPR, 30 Oct. 2026
Definition of silly
Adjective
  • The Sun’s gravity confines dense plasma, while terrestrial machines must create conditions for useful fusion within a much smaller space.
    — Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 31 Oct. 2026
  • Ear seeding is a needle-free acupuncture technique that uses small beads held to the ear with adhesive to stimulate specific pressure points.
    — Hanna Wickes, Miami Herald, 30 Oct. 2026
Definition of small
Adjective
  • Some Latinas are nerds, and some Latinas are quirky, and some of them are goofy and some of them are clumsy.
    — Johanna Ferreira, Los Angeles Times, 16 Oct. 2026
  • The opening chase scene is gorgeously animated, the kind of sequence that makes Common Side Effects distinct visual style that is at once both goofy and realistic so mesmerizing to watch.
    — Joshua Rivera, Vulture, 10 Oct. 2026
Definition of goofy
Adjective
  • Here's where the high diesel prices add up tough – what little hay there is, is a lot more expensive to harvest.
    — Anna King, NPR, 25 Oct. 2026
  • The prince didn’t have any luck in blocking Kelce, which comes as little surprise given the Chiefs star knows how to avoid defensive players.
    — Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 24 Oct. 2026
Definition of little
Adjective
  • This meant that the negotiating parties had reached a deadlock beyond which further discussion would be futile.
    — Tarini Mehta, Sacbee.com, 22 Oct. 2026
  • Adelaide’s music had become an argument, however futile, with finality.
    — Yiyun Li, New Yorker, 13 Oct. 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
  • Democrats are giddy over the prospect of snatching Senate seats and gubernatorial races in normally red states.
    — Charles Selle, Chicago Tribune, 2 Nov. 2026
  • How better to sum up that generation’s giddy way of spackling together outfits?
    — The Learning Network, New York Times, 28 Oct. 2026
Definition of giddy

Browse Nearby Words

frivolity
frivolous
frivolousness
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Cite this Entry

“Frivolous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/frivolous. Accessed 7 Nov. 2026.

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