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
Relevance
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
Commentors, of course, had a mixed bag of reactions, ranging from arguing that Kelce is the Duchess of Delco to criticizing the governor's silliness.
—
Kaitlyn McCormick, USA Today, 28 Apr. 2026
Yet there’s wisdom amid the silliness, as the story gently makes a case for the necessity of grief, mindfulness and mortal awareness, even in a life otherwise unburdened by adult human responsibility.
—Guy Lodge, Variety, 27 Apr. 2026
Alex evolved into [having] a sort of comedic, Betty White-type of silliness.
—Staff Author, PEOPLE, 24 Apr. 2026
Time to stop the silliness with the opener and start him.
—Troy Renck, Denver Post, 18 Apr. 2026
Levy and Taylor Ortega play disorganized siblings who get thrust into the world of organized crime, a departure from the world of Schitt’s Creek, but still maintains the silliness and fun of a Dan Levy show.
—Alejandra Gularte, Vulture, 14 Apr. 2026
The zero gravity effects here work extremely well and there's a genuine good-naturedness on display that enhances the true silliness of the moment.
—Jeff Spry, Space.com, 14 Apr. 2026
For all its potential silliness, real characters populate these bloody waters.
—Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 10 Apr. 2026
My mom’s silliness, her humanness, her imperfections seemed to disappear in the process of repeatedly writing about her struggles.
—Literary Hub, 7 Apr. 2026
Kaitlyn McCormick, USA Today, 28 Apr. 2026
Yet there’s wisdom amid the silliness, as the story gently makes a case for the necessity of grief, mindfulness and mortal awareness, even in a life otherwise unburdened by adult human responsibility.
—Guy Lodge, Variety, 27 Apr. 2026
Alex evolved into [having] a sort of comedic, Betty White-type of silliness.
—Staff Author, PEOPLE, 24 Apr. 2026
Time to stop the silliness with the opener and start him.
—Troy Renck, Denver Post, 18 Apr. 2026
Levy and Taylor Ortega play disorganized siblings who get thrust into the world of organized crime, a departure from the world of Schitt’s Creek, but still maintains the silliness and fun of a Dan Levy show.
—Alejandra Gularte, Vulture, 14 Apr. 2026
The zero gravity effects here work extremely well and there's a genuine good-naturedness on display that enhances the true silliness of the moment.
—Jeff Spry, Space.com, 14 Apr. 2026
For all its potential silliness, real characters populate these bloody waters.
—Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 10 Apr. 2026
My mom’s silliness, her humanness, her imperfections seemed to disappear in the process of repeatedly writing about her struggles.
—Literary Hub, 7 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for silliness
Noun
-
The chaotic family life was cited when Cary Stayner pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity to the tourists’ murders; he was found mentally fit to stand trial.—
Bay Area News Group,
Mercury News,
4 May 2026
-
Call it a runner's high or insanity; the marathon takes just about everything a person can muster up physically and mentally.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
30 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
And Bianco’s rhetoric about forcing changes in state law enforcement — especially on immigration — without the cooperation of Democratic supermajorities in the Legislature is authoritarian nonsense.—
U T Editorial Board,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
8 May 2026
-
There’s still all this nonsense about the temptation of the female body, and the need for nuns to shield themselves from prying eyes.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
7 May 2026
Noun
-
There was a lightness in this really dark time.—
Breana Pitts,
CBS News,
11 May 2026
-
Rabin’s lyrics had been standard unrequited-love fare; Anderson rewrote them about a deeper spiritual loneliness and the drive to overcome it, and delivered them in his usual manner, the lightness of his tone somehow amplifying the thundering force of his conviction.—
Andy Cush,
Pitchfork,
9 May 2026
Noun
-
As artists are wont to do, the two descend into … madness?—
Elaina Patton,
IndieWire,
12 May 2026
-
This time, of course, Rodgers is the one responsible for the melodrama, albeit a far tamer manifestation of it than the madness Favre generated in his final days in Green Bay.—
Michael Silver,
New York Times,
12 May 2026
Noun
-
That men like Mark Zuckerberg and Elon Musk are entrusted with businesses of tectonic influence can be difficult to understand, but their cults of personality have been able to survive scrutiny, perhaps because the money itself is too imposing a firewall for their own stupidity to penetrate.—
Scott Tobias,
Vulture,
19 Apr. 2026
-
Eric Swalwell, a prominent Democratic House member and a front-runner in the race for California governor, had his political career blown up by allegations of degeneracy and abject stupidity.—
Michelle Cottle,
Mercury News,
16 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Friends including Whitney Cummings, Kaitlyn Dever, Ben Platt, Olivia Wilde, Uzo Aduba, Joey King and Monica Lewinsky chimed in with glee in comments on the joint post.—
Assistant Editor,
Los Angeles Times,
4 May 2026
-
Managers attacking journalists usually ends one way, and, predictably, Bild spent the rest of the weekend reporting with glee on Frankfurt’s defeat and poor form.—
Sebastian Stafford-Bloor,
New York Times,
3 May 2026
Noun
-
The simplicity of LaceLocker® also remains central to its appeal.—
Nia Bowers,
USA Today,
12 May 2026
-
The fresh flip-flop offerings prove that simplicity need not be sacrificed for stylishness, and that all-day comfiness should most certainly not take a back seat to a head-turning summertime aesthetic.—
Stacia Datskovska,
Footwear News,
11 May 2026
Noun
-
But for people who consume fewer calories, like Matthews’s mother, those calories and the protein in them are better off coming from whole foods—such as chicken, beans, nuts and vegetables.—
Bethany Brookshire,
Scientific American,
11 May 2026
-
Pistachio nuts are also a favorite go-to snack.—
Stephanie Nolasco,
FOXNews.com,
10 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Silliness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/silliness. Accessed 14 May. 2026.
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