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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
His 14-yard touchdown pass to Kmet was preposterous, an off-script prayer throw from 26 yards behind the line of scrimmage, finding Kmet in Soldier Field’s north end zone for the final jaw-dropping Bears highlight of the season.
—
The Athletic Nfl Staff, New York Times, 19 Jan. 2026
One argument is that this is a preposterous proposition at the get-go.
—Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 17 Jan. 2026
Annese has made due to the tune of a preposterous 378-66 lifetime record that strings from high school to junior college to college and includes three state titles, one JUCO national title and as of last month, four Division II national championships.
—Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 8 Jan. 2026
So, who came up with the preposterous idea that Grand and Victoria is blighted?
—Joe Soucheray, Twin Cities, 20 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for preposterous
The Athletic Nfl Staff, New York Times, 19 Jan. 2026
One argument is that this is a preposterous proposition at the get-go.
—Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 17 Jan. 2026
Annese has made due to the tune of a preposterous 378-66 lifetime record that strings from high school to junior college to college and includes three state titles, one JUCO national title and as of last month, four Division II national championships.
—Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 8 Jan. 2026
So, who came up with the preposterous idea that Grand and Victoria is blighted?
—Joe Soucheray, Twin Cities, 20 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for preposterous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for preposterous
Adjective
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Over the past week, a slew of cinematic videos of celebrities and characters in absurd situations have gone viral online, with one commonality –– they were created using a new artificial intelligence tool from Chinese developer ByteDance, sparking anxiety over the fast-evolving capabilities of AI.—
Stephanie Yang,
CNN Money,
20 Feb. 2026
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What was turbulent and confused in me came out as absurd and ornate in him.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
20 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Maybe the Pac-12 and Mountain West will look silly for not buying in, then watch as the NFC West bids against the Premier League and Marvel Cinematic Universe for the Hornets.—
Jason Kirk,
New York Times,
18 Feb. 2026
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Since then, the fizzy dance challenge has exploded on TikTok, with tons of fans re-creating the clip’s silly dance moves in their kitchens, parking garages, living rooms, Times Square and hospital corridors.—
Gil Kaufman,
Billboard,
18 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Gus was unafraid to be operatic, to be ridiculous.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
20 Feb. 2026
-
All of this accommodation is a bit ridiculous.—
Rafaela Bassili,
Vulture,
17 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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The band performed the song, sans Pat Smear who is recovering from a bizarre gardening accident that led to a broken foot, on The Graham Norton Show on Friday.—
Althea Legaspi,
Rolling Stone,
22 Feb. 2026
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All three runners had reached base, and all were tagged out on one bizarre play.—
Paul Sullivan,
Chicago Tribune,
22 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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When federal policy creates an opportunity to bring additional resources into a state’s education ecosystem, leaders would be foolish to ignore it.—
Susana A. Mendoza,
Chicago Tribune,
18 Feb. 2026
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The fear of looking foolish lasts a moment.—
Brendan Keegan,
Rolling Stone,
18 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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For a film such a this to arrive in a FIFA World Cup year is a stark reminder of the entwinement between soccer and corruption, and De Pauw’s performance as Mayor Dumont — a man inclined to compartmentalize and pass the buck — is wonderfully pathetic.—
Siddhant Adlakha,
Variety,
14 Feb. 2026
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These clowns don't even have the courage of their pathetic White supremacist convictions.—
Bill Goodykoontz,
AZCentral.com,
6 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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But the characters are expressive, and the medium is used to unreal ends, which is, after all, what cartoons are good for.—
Television Critic,
Los Angeles Times,
20 Feb. 2026
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There’s a somewhat dreamy or vaguely unreal quality to this place so far from what one typically thinks of as civilization.—
Matthew Carey,
Deadline,
20 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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But maybe Johnson isn’t stupid.—
Mark Z. Barabak,
Mercury News,
18 Feb. 2026
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Even in contemporary political and intellectual discourse, there remains an attachment to a particular stupid southern conservatism, the ideocratic confederacy.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
17 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Preposterous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/preposterous. Accessed 23 Feb. 2026.
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