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Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective ridiculous differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of ridiculous are comical, comic, laughable, and ludicrous. While all these words mean "provoking laughter or mirth," ridiculous suggests extreme absurdity, foolishness, or contemptibility.

a ridiculous display of anger

When is comic a more appropriate choice than ridiculous?

The meanings of comic and ridiculous largely overlap; however, comic applies especially to what arouses thoughtful amusement.

a comic character

When is it sensible to use comical instead of ridiculous?

The synonyms comical and ridiculous are sometimes interchangeable, but comical applies to what arouses spontaneous hilarity.

a comical hat

When can laughable be used instead of ridiculous?

In some situations, the words laughable and ridiculous are roughly equivalent. However, laughable applies to anything occasioning laughter.

laughable attempts at skating

When would ludicrous be a good substitute for ridiculous?

Although the words ludicrous and ridiculous have much in common, ludicrous suggests absurdity that excites both laughter and scorn.

a thriller with a ludicrous plot

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 ridiculous Both are supremely ridiculous, and supremely entertaining. Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 19 Sep. 2025 So sick of ridiculous unrealistic expectations of aging. Emily Tannenbaum, Glamour, 18 Sep. 2025 Sanders is going to benefit from the fact that Bryce Young has been throwing the ball a ridiculous amount in the first two weeks. Steve Bradshaw, Forbes.com, 17 Sep. 2025 And with a moto that goes as fast as this, that price can go near-ridiculous. New Atlas, 17 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for ridiculous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ridiculous
Adjective
  • But the true spectacle, his essence, is watching Hardy barge to an absurd-but-revealing 485 yards after contact and what that’s creating.
    Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 25 Sep. 2025
  • This remake is most curious for the contrast—Cervantes’ novel is thought to be the first realist piece of literature, where Rushdie’s update is decidedly absurd.
    Brittany Allen, Literary Hub, 25 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • What follows is a dramedy that is simultaneously an anthropological examination of the film industry’s denizens and a disturbing — though often very funny — look at the fragility of identity in that world.
    Jim Hemphill, IndieWire, 25 Sep. 2025
  • My idea of funny is the English say the craziest things with a straight face.
    Devon Ivie, Vulture, 25 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • This dance party for toddlers and preschoolers is packed with silly puppets, cheerful songs, and endless smiles!
    Sarah Z. Sleeper, San Diego Union-Tribune, 28 Sep. 2025
  • And why that silly jacket in the middle of June?
    David Wright Faladé, New Yorker, 28 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Barkov is the opposite of Tkachuk in personality, never the one with the humorous postgame quote or engaging TV soundbite.
    Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 26 Sep. 2025
  • The duo, who are known for their original and often humorous dance routines, will be repped by UTA across digital, theater and scripted (co-represented with Curtis Brown).
    Ellise Shafer, Variety, 25 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Characters can be pathetic, and frank about their Toledo Truth Teller’s bleak prospects.
    Brittany Allen, Literary Hub, 23 Sep. 2025
  • Jimmy Kimmel is a pathetic hate monger.
    Dave Smith, Fortune, 18 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • In a 1972 Esquire interview, the writer Harold Brodkey pressed her to examine her comedic sources.
    Rachel Syme, New Yorker, 29 Sep. 2025
  • The comedic cross-country car film, which rescued the reputation of the envelope-pushing company after back-to-back duds National Lampoon's Movie Madness and National Lampoon's Class Reunion, represented a kind of maturation for the brand.
    Jordan Hoffman, Entertainment Weekly, 28 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • As a first-grade teacher, Gina Range is often privy to some of the most audacious and amusing comments from her class of 6- and 7-year-olds.
    Alyce Collins, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 Sep. 2025
  • The result is a minimalist, and amusing, website, with models who move around, sit on handmade chairs, fiddle with their hair, and play around with the clothes.
    Samantha Conti, Footwear News, 19 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Things got even more comical later in Thursday’s episode when Jones and Bush Hager each received very different video messages from their respective daughters in honor of National Daughters Day.
    Rachel McRady, PEOPLE, 25 Sep. 2025
  • Others pulled out the cameras to make comical content regarding the looming doomsday.
    DeMicia Inman, VIBE.com, 22 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Ridiculous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ridiculous. Accessed 1 Oct. 2025.

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