ridiculous

1 of 2

adjective

ri·​dic·​u·​lous rə-ˈdi-kyə-ləs How to pronounce ridiculous (audio)
Synonyms of ridiculous
: arousing or deserving ridicule : extremely silly or unreasonable : absurd, preposterous
wearing a ridiculous outfit
a ridiculous price for that little house
ridiculousness noun

ridiculousness

2 of 2

noun

ri·​dic·​u·​lous·​ness
: the quality or state of being ridiculous : laughableness

Synonyms of ridiculous

Relevance

Adjective

See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus
Choose the Right Synonym for ridiculous

laughable, ludicrous, ridiculous, comic, comical mean provoking laughter or mirth.

laughable applies to anything occasioning laughter.

laughable attempts at skating

ludicrous suggests absurdity that excites both laughter and scorn.

a thriller with a ludicrous plot

ridiculous suggests extreme absurdity, foolishness, or contemptibility.

a ridiculous display of anger

comic applies especially to what arouses thoughtful amusement.

a comic character

comical applies to what arouses spontaneous hilarity.

a comical hat

Examples of ridiculous in a Sentence

Adjective His band mates take the stage in ridiculous elf costumes—black tights, pointy felt hats. —Jason Cohen, Rolling Stone, 23 Feb. 1995
I also poked fun at those ridiculous fins on the '59 Cadillac. The '60, now, that was something else, and I've thought highly enough of the design to have owned two of them. —Marshall Schuon, New York Times, 30 June 1991
Take into account the artist's intention and choice of means. This sounds so elementary that it seems ridiculous to bring it up … —Leonardo Shapiro, Village Voice, 27 Aug. 1991
It was absurd for him to paint portraits for pay, and ridiculous to paint them for nothing; so he did not paint them at all. —William Dean Howells, The Rise of Silas Lapham, 1885
She looks ridiculous in that outfit. It was a ridiculous suggestion. That's an absolutely ridiculous price for that sweater.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Adjective
If that wasn't enough, the entire Spanish soccer league added their own groveling, ridiculous apology. — Ian Miller Outkick, FOXNews.com, 28 Oct. 2026 The game includes a ridiculous campaign centered around a new Korean civil war. — Jordan Minor, PC Magazine, 26 Oct. 2026 This is a ridiculous complaint, though it’s rooted in a hunger for veracity that one can instinctively understand. — Doreen St. Félix, New Yorker, 24 Oct. 2026 Kikuchi makes Haru’s occasionally mortifying romantic pursuit both funny and affecting, embracing the character’s impulsive, sometimes ridiculous behavior without diminishing the depth of her loss. — Lisa Wong MacAbasco, Vogue, 23 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for ridiculous

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Latin ridiculosus (from ridiculum jest, from neuter of ridiculus) or ridiculus, literally, laughable, from ridēre to laugh

First Known Use

Adjective

1550, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of ridiculous was in 1550

Phrases Containing ridiculous

Rhymes for ridiculous

See All Rhymes for ridiculous

Browse Nearby Words

ridiculosity
ridiculous
ridiculously
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Ridiculous.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ridiculous. Accessed 1 Nov. 2026.

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Kids Definition

ridiculous

adjective
ri·​dic·​u·​lous rə-ˈdik-yə-ləs How to pronounce ridiculous (audio)
: causing or deserving ridicule : absurd, preposterous
ridiculously adverb
ridiculousness noun
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