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
1
as in goofy
lacking in seriousness or maturity
the matinee show was filled with a bunch of silly children making noise
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in stupid
showing or marked by a lack of good sense or judgment
those silly movie producers who thought that audiences would fall for that gimmick all over again
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in ridiculous
so foolish or pointless as to be worthy of scornful laughter
had the silly notion that her latest marriage might last longer than her three previous ones
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in bewildered
suffering from mental confusion
stunning news that knocked me silly
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in simpleton
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Recent Examples of silliness
Grant Brisbee, New York Times, 27 Apr. 2025
That's the conceit of this silly sci-fi teen comedy.
—Brian Truitt, USA Today, 26 Apr. 2025
Ego Nwodim, TIME, 12 Feb. 2025
Some more sillies from last night’s GRAMMY nominees reception.
—Kimberlee Speakman, People.com, 4 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for silliness
Adjective
That’s all fans want out of this silly sport, now and forever.
—Grant Brisbee, New York Times, 27 Apr. 2025
That's the conceit of this silly sci-fi teen comedy.
—Brian Truitt, USA Today, 26 Apr. 2025
Noun
It was shot in portrait because it was shot in Instagram by and for a woman who was losing her mind in quarantine and had fully let the sillies take the wheel.
—Ego Nwodim, TIME, 12 Feb. 2025
Some more sillies from last night’s GRAMMY nominees reception.
—Kimberlee Speakman, People.com, 4 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for silliness
Recent Examples of Synonyms for silliness
Adjective
-
Enough to hope incoming Vanderbilt recruit Chandler Bing is ready for some of the goofy questions coming his way and can pivot to basketball.—
Joe Rexrode,
New York Times,
1 May 2025
-
Regardless, this will be a goofy offseason, so strap in for a sea of rumors and postulations.—
Julia Poe,
Chicago Tribune,
29 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
Making stupid internet fodder has never been easier than now, with the prevalence of AI image generators making everything from deepfakes to memes.—
CT Jones,
Rolling Stone,
26 Apr. 2025
-
Much like the stupid prions wreaking havoc in his brain.—
David Oliver,
USA Today,
24 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
As such, the Stars’ best chance is not to get into another track meet like Thursday night’s ridiculous game, won 7-4 by the Avalanche.—
Pierre LeBrun,
New York Times,
3 May 2025
-
Seeing Tristen accept both his mother’s request to stay in the game and the responsibility of leading his team to victory gives the ridiculous exercise that is Restaurant Wars a whole different weight.—
Caroline Framke,
Vulture,
2 May 2025
Adjective
-
Apart from the odd bewildered tourist or local going about their day, the vast majority of people in the carriage were heading to what most regarded as a ‘must-win’ match at home to Everton and the vibe, like the team’s results in 2025, was mixed.—
Simon Johnson,
New York Times,
28 Apr. 2025
-
Every lap felt like a mind-numbing carousel ride through car exhaust and past bewildered pedestrians, while inhaling burrito-scented air.—
Marley Dickinson,
Outside Online,
17 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
The virtuoso sequence that will generate giddy excitement among enthusiasts of Evans’ earlier films is an extended bout of killing and maiming in a nightclub where techno music keeps thumping as bodies keep dropping.—
David Rooney,
HollywoodReporter,
24 Apr. 2025
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Here are the numbers that got Wall Street giddy: Revenue came in at $10.54 billion, up almost 13% YoY Operating margin hit 31.8%, up from 28.1% last year EPS grew nearly 25% And all this as the rest of tech stumbles around blaming tariffs and macro gloom.—
Trefis Team,
Forbes.com,
23 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
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
-
Her end goal is extreme realism, no matter how absurd the circumstances are.—
Anna Cafolla,
Vogue,
2 May 2025
-
Judge put up absurd numbers, hitting .427 with a 1.282 OPS, 10 home runs, 32 RBI and a 263 wRC+.—
Gary Phillips,
New York Daily News,
2 May 2025
Adjective
-
The whipsaw turns have left markets, governments and consumers alike confused and worried about what’s next.—
Ramishah Maruf,
CNN Money,
1 May 2025
-
The dogs crowd into the bathroom, peering over the edge of the tub with expressions that viewers described as both confused and concerned.—
Maria Azzurra Volpe,
MSNBC Newsweek,
1 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Silliness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/silliness. Accessed 11 May. 2025.
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