1
as in absurd
conceived or made without regard for reason or reality
the idea that extraterrestrials built the pyramids is preposterous
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in silly
showing or marked by a lack of good sense or judgment
a preposterous suggestion to go swimming in this freezing weather
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3
as in ridiculous
so foolish or pointless as to be worthy of scornful laughter
the movie thriller had such a preposterous plot that we were on the edge of our seats snickering
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of preposterous
Setting aside the governor’s preposterous revenue claims, the bigger elephant in the room is the ongoing frustration with Maryland’s current transit infrastructure.
—
Torrey Snow, Baltimore Sun, 11 Mar. 2026
The film mixes absurdist comedy and action, including a preposterous rooftop escape and a thrillingly disorienting car chase on desert roads.
—Jordan Hoffman, Entertainment Weekly, 11 Mar. 2026
One of the blog’s repeated and by all accounts preposterous anti-semitic rants was Boyne’s claim that the state’s family courts were controlled by a cabal of judges, lawyers and mental health professionals who were profiting by their decisions.
—Edmund H. Mahony, Hartford Courant, 10 Mar. 2026
The idea that a normal person could work to transform themselves into a model is preposterous, like spinning straw into gold.
—Sophie Gilbert, The Atlantic, 6 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for preposterous
Torrey Snow, Baltimore Sun, 11 Mar. 2026
The film mixes absurdist comedy and action, including a preposterous rooftop escape and a thrillingly disorienting car chase on desert roads.
—Jordan Hoffman, Entertainment Weekly, 11 Mar. 2026
One of the blog’s repeated and by all accounts preposterous anti-semitic rants was Boyne’s claim that the state’s family courts were controlled by a cabal of judges, lawyers and mental health professionals who were profiting by their decisions.
—Edmund H. Mahony, Hartford Courant, 10 Mar. 2026
The idea that a normal person could work to transform themselves into a model is preposterous, like spinning straw into gold.
—Sophie Gilbert, The Atlantic, 6 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for preposterous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for preposterous
Adjective
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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
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To consider Karaban as anything but an abject success story is absurd.—
Dana O’Neil,
CNN Money,
2 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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The group never uses the word unless there is something silly going on.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
3 Apr. 2026
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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
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Because these interviews are edited and condensed, the parts of it that get cut out will retroactively make those parts of this present moment sort of ridiculous.—
Andrew Marantz,
New Yorker,
5 Apr. 2026
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Recently, despite their consistent and ridiculous denials, it was found that Iran had built numerous missiles capable of reaching all over Europe.—
Bobby Zirkin,
Baltimore Sun,
5 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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The troubled production resulted in a bizarre cyberpunk schlock-flick that felt far removed from what most fans understood Mario to be.—
Christopher Cruz,
Rolling Stone,
5 Apr. 2026
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Since the border is not straight but snakes along old county lines, some of the journey was bizarre.—
Colm Tóibín,
The New York Review of Books,
4 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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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
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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
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The politicians who shut down the government are pathetic on both sides of the aisle.—
Joe Soucheray,
Twin Cities,
28 Mar. 2026
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His Floyd constantly straddles the line between sweet and pathetic, often falling off one side or the other.—
Bill Goodykoontz,
AZCentral.com,
24 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Which brings me to … After seeing that unreal UConn-Duke ending, what are your top five postseason college football endings?—
Stewart Mandel,
New York Times,
1 Apr. 2026
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Can have an unreal college career playing that way.—
Rowan Fisher-Shotton,
MSNBC Newsweek,
30 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Of course, sometimes the situation is more serious than stupid.—
Isaac Stanley-Becker,
The Atlantic,
31 Mar. 2026
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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
Cite this Entry
“Preposterous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/preposterous. Accessed 6 Apr. 2026.
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