1
as in insanity
lack of good sense or judgment
she was both amused and irritated by the silliness of his comments regarding the movie they has just seen
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in nonsense
language, behavior, or ideas that are absurd and contrary to good sense
stop this silliness at once!
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in lightness
a lack of seriousness often at an improper time
this inability to refrain from silliness is a distressing sign of professional immaturity
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of silliness
While there are some moments of excessive silliness, the filmmaker mainly finds the proper balance throughout, resulting in a winning movie that should satisfy a fairly wide age group.
—
Frank Scheck, HollywoodReporter, 7 Nov. 2025
The silliness of this analysis could at least be matched by a silliness in tone.
—Alison Herman, Variety, 6 Nov. 2025
As always, the panel of judges are full of quirks and quips with a montage showing Goldman, Brown and Fuller’s silliness.
—Sabrina Weiss, PEOPLE, 29 Oct. 2025
The premise has the potential for slapstick silliness, as an incompetent Seoul family fumbles its way through opening a hunting lodge in the Korean countryside.
—Katie Rife, Entertainment Weekly, 28 Oct. 2025
Some hijinks and silliness happen.
—Charles Infosino, Cincinnati Enquirer, 23 Oct. 2025
As Theodore Logan, Keanu Reeves found the perfect vessel for his serene silliness, playing well off Alex Winter’s equally clueless Bill.
—Tim Grierson, Vulture, 18 Oct. 2025
That youthful connection continued through other hosts who took over NBC's Late Night franchise, from the serious silliness of Conan O'Brien to the hard-partying glad-handing of Jimmy Fallon.
—Eric Deggans, NPR, 13 Oct. 2025
While the slower speed and emphasis on physics, from the long-distance drop of bullet trajectories to the breakable foundations of structures, are a huge part of Battlefield’s DNA, there’s also just an inherent silliness to some of the tactics that stir joy.
—Christopher Cruz, Rolling Stone, 9 Oct. 2025
Frank Scheck, HollywoodReporter, 7 Nov. 2025
The silliness of this analysis could at least be matched by a silliness in tone.
—Alison Herman, Variety, 6 Nov. 2025
As always, the panel of judges are full of quirks and quips with a montage showing Goldman, Brown and Fuller’s silliness.
—Sabrina Weiss, PEOPLE, 29 Oct. 2025
The premise has the potential for slapstick silliness, as an incompetent Seoul family fumbles its way through opening a hunting lodge in the Korean countryside.
—Katie Rife, Entertainment Weekly, 28 Oct. 2025
Some hijinks and silliness happen.
—Charles Infosino, Cincinnati Enquirer, 23 Oct. 2025
As Theodore Logan, Keanu Reeves found the perfect vessel for his serene silliness, playing well off Alex Winter’s equally clueless Bill.
—Tim Grierson, Vulture, 18 Oct. 2025
That youthful connection continued through other hosts who took over NBC's Late Night franchise, from the serious silliness of Conan O'Brien to the hard-partying glad-handing of Jimmy Fallon.
—Eric Deggans, NPR, 13 Oct. 2025
While the slower speed and emphasis on physics, from the long-distance drop of bullet trajectories to the breakable foundations of structures, are a huge part of Battlefield’s DNA, there’s also just an inherent silliness to some of the tactics that stir joy.
—Christopher Cruz, Rolling Stone, 9 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for silliness
Noun
-
This insanity has to stop before anyone else gets hurt.—
Emma Bussey,
FOXNews.com,
6 Nov. 2025
-
Though his legal team argued insanity, Guiteau was found guilty of murder in January 1882 and executed five months later.—
Allison DeGrushe,
Entertainment Weekly,
6 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
Crucially, the eggs were fittingly fluffy, none of that rubbery nonsense that plague lesser burrito slingers.—
Brock Keeling,
Oc Register,
6 Nov. 2025
-
All’s Fair is girlboss nonsense.—
Roxana Hadadi,
Vulture,
5 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
Her film holds a rare balance of lightness and depth, moving originally between humor and vulnerability without ever losing emotional truth.—
Leo Barraclough,
Variety,
27 Oct. 2025
-
The frontier dissolves into the lightness of air, and the world is full of holes.—
Henry Freedland,
Harpers Magazine,
24 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
What starts as a cathartic process spirals out-of-control, as the line between justice and madness blurs.—
Jesse Whittock,
Deadline,
6 Nov. 2025
-
The American people will hate this madness, but that makes no difference to a president increasingly unmoored from reality.—
Newsweek Contributors,
MSNBC Newsweek,
5 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
Why should Curtis have to back down to **maybe** save that city from its own stupidity?—
Gabe Whisnant,
MSNBC Newsweek,
4 Nov. 2025
-
The Snack Homiez’ back-and-forth, soothing in its stupidity, reminded me of this Kate McKinnon-Aidy Bryant two-hander from 2021.—
Charu Sinha,
Vulture,
19 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
But the glee wouldn’t last long.—
Daniel Sperry,
Kansas City Star,
9 Nov. 2025
-
Swinging from the overhanging branches and darting through the woods, the animals were heading toward a nearby housing project, their pink faces lit with glee.—
Ava Kofman,
New Yorker,
3 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
The simplicity makes the robot lighter, cheaper, and easier to operate.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
7 Nov. 2025
-
For those seeking simplicity, options such as eco-friendly guesthouses, cozy budget inns, or camping at Cinnamon Bay offer affordable ways to stay close to nature.—
Essence,
Essence,
7 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
In a recording shared by his family, Dailey recounted driving his 2002 silver Dodge Dakota up the Swamp Lake Trail, reaching the top safely and stopping to snack on some jerky and a handful of nuts, ABC News reported.—
Bonny Chu,
FOXNews.com,
5 Nov. 2025
-
The crew can now prepare ingredients like nuts, cakes, and fresh vegetables using the oven and other cooking tools.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
4 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Silliness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/silliness. Accessed 12 Nov. 2025.
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