Dictionary

ridiculous en · ADJ

Pronunciation

• /ɹɪˈdɪk.ləs/ (Wales)
• /ɹɪˈdɪk.jə.ləs/ (US)
• /ɹɪˈdɪk.jʊ.ləs/ (Canada, UK)
• /ɹiːˈdɪk.jʊ.ləs/ (Canada, UK)
• (US) audio

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin rīdiculus (“laughable, ridiculous”); Equivalent to ridicule + -ous.

Meanings

1. Deserving of ridicule; foolish, absurd.
   • Many of the so-called rites of these secret societies were so patently ridiculous, that it is quite obvious that they were merely an excuse for men and women to indulge in sex-play and lustful gratification, frequently of an abnormal kind. 1936, Rollo Ahmed, The Black Art, London: Long, page 161:
   • [...] if you end up with two Democrats in this ridiculous top two system, which is a very real possibility, if we don’t consolidate on the Republican side, that is a disaster for our state. 2026 April 7, Barnini Chakraborty, “Steve Hilton says Trump endorsement was smart strategy in California governor’s race”, in Washington Examiner:
   • The novelist, whom people hardly believe, considering his pictures as ridiculous fancies, but who has devoted his life to explore in secret places; behind the curtain, where we cannot follow—where all is inaccessible to us. 1872, R J S, Ridiculous Fancies; An Allegory. Being the Lucubrations Of A Madman., page 14:
   • “The call for his sack to me is ridiculous and mischievous. The Northern youths did not agitate for the sack of previous Defence Ministers. Why General Musa?” 2026 March 15, Ejikeme Omenazu, “Anxiety Returns Over Upsurge Of Ferocious Banditry”, in Independent:
   • You make ridiculous statements a lot, like saying that UFOs are real.
   • And they are dangerous because when worn they make their wearer look ridiculous and contemptible to those not enthralled by the same fashion; and when their moment has passed they take up precious closet space, taunting you and making you lament of money that should have been spent on something more longevous. 2006, Nicholas Antongiavanni [pseudonym; Michael Anton], The Suit: A Machiavellian Approach to Men's Style, New York: HarperCollins Publishers, →ISBN, →OCLC, page 52:
   • [...] if you reprimand or punish them, be assured every one will consider you importunate as well as ridiculous. 1833, Elisabeth Celnart, The Gentleman and Lady's Book of Politeness and Propriety of Deportment: Dedicated to the Youth of Both Sexes, Allen and Ticknor and Carter, Hendee, →LCCN, →OCLC, →OL, page 15:
   • Does that ridiculous person aspire to esteem? Refuse him that esteem in a piquant and surprising manner, and you will be creating comedy. 2018, Stendhal, Racine and Shakespeare, Alma Books, →ISBN, page 152:
   • It seems a little ridiculous to brand one of the oldest cities in the world as “up and coming,” but in certain circles, that’s exactly the working title of Athens these days. 2026 April 8, Elly Leavitt, “From Neoclassical Homes to Bohemian Gems, These Are the Best Airbnbs in Athens”, in Vogue:
   • All the characters he has imitated are of the heroic kind, excepting only one ridiculous perſonage, that he has but once exhibited, I mean Therʃites. 1774, James Burnett, Lord Monboddo, Of The Origin And Progress Of Language, →OL, page 130:
   • That hairstyle looks ridiculous.
   • It's ridiculous to charge so much for a little souvenir.
   • Mike, a British Cycle leader, said the situation there was now “ridiculous”, adding: “The noise from cars and motorbikes can be heard even from mountain tops in the vicinity of the A5. 2026 March 15, Andrew Forgrave, “Speeding drivers terrorising visitors and 'destroying Eryri's peace and quiet'”, in Daily Post:
   • The racist backlash was — needless to say — unwarranted, and incredibly ridiculous considering Ariel is a fictional, animated character. And we don't know what a mermaid actually looks like (or if they even exist). 2026 April 7, Jada Gomez, “Halle Bailey Reveals How The Racist “Little Mermaid” Backlash Changed Her Forever, And It’s Actually Genius “None of this is real.””, in BuzzFeed:
   • Not only is this petty beyond belief, it’s also pretty ridiculous. When was the last time either of those two women allowed one solitary square of chocolate to pass their lips? 2026 April 8, Virginia Blackburn, “South African-style anti-shoplifting tactics in London? Starmer should hang head in shame”, in Express:
2. (informal) Astonishing, extreme, unbelievable.
   • In a ridiculous feat of engineering, the team can calculate the difference in arrival time to within one-tenth of a nanosecond.
   • Gaines is a classic motor player with a low center of gravity and ridiculous strength.

Forms

Antonyms

solemn · somber · straightforward · serious

Deriveds

ridiculousness · nonridiculous · ridic · unridiculous · ridiculously

Relateds

derision · deride · ridiculable · ridiculosity · ridicularity · ridicule

Synonyms

laughable · absurd · silly · skimble-skamble · foolish · rich · preposterous · unreasonable · incongruous · odd · jabberwocky · unreasonable · absurd · Laputan · willy nilly · ridiculous · nonsensical · humorous · inconsistent · cockeyed · priceless · goofy · frivolous · surreal · cockamamie · funny · full of it · farcical · irrational · ludicrous

Translations (79)

hi अटपटा (foolish, absurd) · pap ridíkulo (foolish, absurd) · sk absúrdny (foolish, absurd) · uk безглу́здий (foolish, absurd) · hi मसख़रा (foolish, absurd) · th น่าขัน (foolish, absurd) · af belaglik (foolish, absurd) · nl lachwekkend (foolish, absurd) · ar سَخِيف (foolish, absurd) · mi haraki (foolish, absurd) · fr ridicule (foolish, absurd) · cmn 荒唐 (foolish, absurd) · el αξιογέλαστος (foolish, absurd) · be сме́шны (foolish, absurd) · uk смішни́й (foolish, absurd) · pl niedorzeczny (foolish, absurd) · eu barregarri (foolish, absurd) · sk nehorázny (foolish, absurd) · hi उपहासास्पद (foolish, absurd) · nrf riditchule (foolish, absurd) · nn latterleg (foolish, absurd) · ca ridícul (foolish, absurd) · eo ridinda (foolish, absurd) · kea jatu (foolish, absurd) · ru неле́пый (foolish, absurd) · tr gülünç (foolish, absurd) · sk neuveriteľný (foolish, absurd) · ro ridicol (foolish, absurd) · nl belachelijk (foolish, absurd) · de lächerlich (foolish, absurd) · nn låtteleg (foolish, absurd) · ga áiféiseach (foolish, absurd) · he מְגֻחָךְ (foolish, absurd) · la rīdiculus (foolish, absurd) · tr komik (foolish, absurd) · kw hwarthus (foolish, absurd) · th ไร้สาระ (foolish, absurd) · hi हास्यास्पद (foolish, absurd) · mi nenekara (foolish, absurd) · tr tuhaf (foolish, absurd) · mfe ridikil (foolish, absurd) · gd amaideach (foolish, absurd) · es ridículo (foolish, absurd) · eu irrigarri (foolish, absurd) · hy ծիծաղելի (foolish, absurd) · cs směšný (foolish, absurd) · bg смехотворен (foolish, absurd) · sq qesharak (foolish, absurd) · it ridicolo (foolish, absurd) · bg нелеп (foolish, absurd) · ja 馬鹿らしい (foolish, absurd) · pdt lachrich (foolish, absurd) · cmn 荒謬 /荒谬 (foolish, absurd) · hi बेतुका (foolish, absurd) · pl śmieszny (foolish, absurd) · bg абсурден (foolish, absurd) · pt ridículo (foolish, absurd) · hi ऊटपटाँग (foolish, absurd) · cmn 可笑 (foolish, absurd) · grc γελοῖος (foolish, absurd) · el γελοίος (foolish, absurd) · hy անհեթեթ (foolish, absurd) · ms mengarut (foolish, absurd) · fo løgiligur (foolish, absurd) · hi अंडबंड (foolish, absurd) · gl ridículo (foolish, absurd) · nb latterlig (foolish, absurd) · hu nevetséges (foolish, absurd) · fa مسخره (foolish, absurd) · da latterlig (foolish, absurd) · sk smiešny (foolish, absurd) · pl absurdalny (foolish, absurd) · sv löjlig (foolish, absurd) · tr saçma (foolish, absurd) · pa ਹਾਸੋਹੀਣ (foolish, absurd) · ko 웃으운 (foolish, absurd) · ar مَسْخَرَة (foolish, absurd) · fi naurettava (foolish, absurd) · nl ridicuul (foolish, absurd)