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
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
Frank Rizzo, Variety, 21 Mar. 2025
After averaging a preposterous 4.6 steals per game a season ago, Hidalgo wreaked havoc again this year to the tune of 3.7 takeaways a night.
—Rohan Nadkarni, NBC news, 21 Mar. 2025
The claims are preposterous and everyone involved knows it.
—Tom Rogers, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 Apr. 2025
Adams, for his part, found the notion that Spanish Americans might govern themselves preposterous.
—The New Yorker, New Yorker, 23 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for preposterous
Adjective
The preposterous plot begins with the band of brothers (and savvy sisters, too) in search of an unclaimed corpse, disguising it as a Royal Marine officer, and creating a fictional persona to make their ruse credible.
—Frank Rizzo, Variety, 21 Mar. 2025
After averaging a preposterous 4.6 steals per game a season ago, Hidalgo wreaked havoc again this year to the tune of 3.7 takeaways a night.
—Rohan Nadkarni, NBC news, 21 Mar. 2025
The claims are preposterous and everyone involved knows it.
—Tom Rogers, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 Apr. 2025
Adams, for his part, found the notion that Spanish Americans might govern themselves preposterous.
—The New Yorker, New Yorker, 23 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for preposterous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for preposterous
Adjective
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The biggest change, however, has been in fly ball frequency - his fly ball rate is now an absurd 50.0%, higher than any 2024 MLB regular.—
Tony Blengino,
Forbes.com,
16 May 2025
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What else can be said about Judge’s absurd start to this season?—
Tim Britton,
New York Times,
16 May 2025
Adjective
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Using the Graham Norton hologram to tell us that the Earth was turned to ash on May 24th, 2025 is just the right kind of silly for this show.—
Ryan Woodrow,
MSNBC Newsweek,
17 May 2025
-
Eurovision is still too much of a silly spectacle for some, even with JJ in it.—
Alex Marshall,
New York Times,
16 May 2025
Adjective
-
Supreme Court justice calls it 'ridiculous' Trump cuts reach climate scientists who labored for free Kathryn Palmer is a national trending news reporter for USA TODAY.—
Kathryn Palmer,
USA Today,
15 May 2025
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In a world where leaders seem eager to bend the knee to Trump’s every impulse, even the truly ridiculous seems plausible.—
Charlie Warzel,
The Atlantic,
14 May 2025
Noun
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As part of an agreement between defense and prosecuting attorneys, 35-year-old Bryson Levy was found not guilty by reason of insanity on Feb. 4.—
Nate Gartrell,
Mercury News,
9 May 2025
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Dominguez has pleaded not guilty and not guilty by reason of insanity to the stabbings two years ago that killed David Breaux, 50, and Karim Abou Najm, 20, as well as the near-fatal attack on Guillory.—
Darrell Smith,
Sacbee.com,
8 May 2025
Adjective
-
Sinner won a bizarre semifinal in his first tournament back from a three-month doping ban, while Alcaraz triumphed in a sloppy duel.—
Sam Settleman,
New York Times,
17 May 2025
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Known for its deluge of gruesome deaths that just get more bizarre with each iteration, Final Destination is now returning for a sixth movie.—
Rebecca Aizin,
People.com,
16 May 2025
Adjective
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But the Liberals are an electoral machine—something of a rarity on the center-left—that would be foolish to bet against.—
Daniel Block,
The Atlantic,
29 Apr. 2025
-
His cigars weren’t as nasty as his habit of chasing bad money with worse—high living and foolish investments, with second-rate writing meant to plug the gap.—
Lauren Michele Jackson,
New Yorker,
28 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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No other governor, remember, has tried to pull off this pathetic budget stunt.—
Joe Soucheray,
Twin Cities,
10 May 2025
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In his last, most pathetic years, Mark Twain threw himself behind the crackpot theory that the true author of Shakespeare’s plays may have been Francis Bacon.—
Graeme Wood,
The Atlantic,
9 May 2025
Noun
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And, last weekend, in the midst of Met Gala madness, the four iconic artist-entrepreneurs were reunited at the show’s 20th anniversary.—
India Espy-Jones,
Essence,
14 May 2025
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In some Asian and Middle Eastern traditions, dementia was historically associated with madness or idiocy.—
Marion Renault,
The Atlantic,
13 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Preposterous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/preposterous. Accessed 22 May. 2025.
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