1
as in absurd
conceived or made without regard for reason or reality
the idea that extraterrestrials built the pyramids is preposterous
Synonyms & Similar Words
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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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in insanity
lack of good sense or judgment
laughed at the sheer preposterousness of the idea
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of preposterous
Quanta Magazine, 8 June 2026
Add that to this team’s seemingly endless list of the preposterous.
—Gabriel Burns, AJC.com, 29 May 2026
Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 27 Aug. 2025
Italian football is compelling in its sheer unpredictability, the sweep of its beauty and preposterousness on so many levels.
—James Horncastle, New York Times, 21 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for preposterous
Adjective
The statement was greeted by the event moderator and the other laureates as preposterous enough to make the simulation hypothesis seem reasonable by comparison.
—Quanta Magazine, 8 June 2026
Add that to this team’s seemingly endless list of the preposterous.
—Gabriel Burns, AJC.com, 29 May 2026
Noun
Boy stuff and the preposterousness of it all.
—Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 27 Aug. 2025
Italian football is compelling in its sheer unpredictability, the sweep of its beauty and preposterousness on so many levels.
—James Horncastle, New York Times, 21 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for preposterous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for preposterous
Adjective
-
Soon my entire feed was pugs and poodles and beagles and portmanteau blends with absurd names like golden doodle and cavapoo.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
11 June 2026
-
Produced by Heavy Lifting Productions in association with 3 Arts Entertainment, Knighted follows a missing person’s case that spirals into an absurd documentary-style exploration of the sinister secrets lurking beneath the enchanting pageantry of a local medieval dinner theatre.—
Jesse Whittock,
Deadline,
11 June 2026
Adjective
-
From Valentino pig hoofs to Chanel half-sandals, our feeds are full of silly, outrageous and outright ugly footwear.—
Shane O’Neill,
Washington Post,
12 June 2026
-
This 22-inch hopping ball has a silly face on it, available in blue or orange.—
BestReviews,
Chicago Tribune,
12 June 2026
Adjective
-
The image qua image thereby becomes uncanny, slapstick, a bit ridiculous, a bit horrific—independent of its content.—
Eugenie Brinkema,
ARTnews.com,
14 June 2026
-
What was ridiculous was the jump at that point in time was $4 [million], $4 [million] $15 or $16 million.—
Kristian Winfield,
New York Daily News,
13 June 2026
Adjective
-
Weird neighbors and increasingly bizarre diversions plague every attempt Nameless Hero makes to get down the stairs of his building to the man who’s standing outside.—
Sara Holdren,
Vulture,
14 June 2026
-
And in a bizarre twist, a criminal investigation has been opened after three dogs were found dead at the travel trailer where mauling victim Jodi Cowan was living at the time of the fatal attack.—
Natasha Holt,
FOXNews.com,
14 June 2026
Adjective
-
It’s presented without winks or nudges, neither as a joke nor necessarily foolish.—
Robert Lloyd,
Los Angeles Times,
8 June 2026
-
If the target was foolish enough to reuse passwords, credential thefts like these could enable the compromise of more important accounts.—
Rob Pegoraro,
PC Magazine,
3 June 2026
Adjective
-
Sports make people a little pathetic.—
Hannah Keyser,
CNN Money,
9 June 2026
-
Williams didn't portray Peter Banning as pathetic.—
Cynthia Pelayo,
PEOPLE,
8 June 2026
Adjective
-
Oceanfront rooms with balconies are coveted for good reason; waking up with a hot cup of coffee, salty sea air, and a view of the Atlantic is an unreal way to start the day.—
Alexandra Emanuelli,
Southern Living,
12 June 2026
-
The individual deals have taken on a slightly unreal quality.—
Dara-Abasi Ita,
Forbes.com,
11 June 2026
Adjective
-
Fans wear their favorite players’ name, beg for their autograph and spend stupid amounts of money just to be in their proximity.—
Hannah Keyser,
CNN Money,
9 June 2026
-
Not every bee was successful, but that doesn’t necessarily mean there’s such a thing as a stupid bumblebee, Loukola says.—
Adam Kovac,
Scientific American,
4 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Preposterous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/preposterous. Accessed 16 Jun. 2026.
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