absurdity

[ ab-sur-di-tee, -zur- ]

noun

, plural ab·surd·i·ties.

1. the state or quality of being absurd.
2. something absurd.

Other Words From

• super·ab·surdi·ty noun plural superabsurdities

Word History and Origins

Origin of absurdity¹

First recorded in 1425–75; late Middle English absurdite, from Middle French, from Late Latin absurditās; absurd + -ity

Example Sentences

The draw of the deep dish is its absurdity, not its greatness.

From Ozy

Sometimes, absurdity is the best part, to be honest, because it allows authentic human reaction to mix with a sort of inconsequential ridiculousness that provides complication only in the moment and matters only on the field of play.

From Washington Post

Peak absurdity came in 1978, when one poll declared Southern California the winner while the other named Alabama, even though Southern California had manhandled Alabama in Alabama that year.

From Washington Post

Laughter, like humor, typically sparks from recognizing the incongruities or absurdities of a situation.

From No Straight News

Aside from the absurdity of some of the shots, his efficiency stands out as even more ridiculous.

From FiveThirtyEight

It simultaneously reveals the absurdity of dictatorship and gives comfort to those languishing under an impossible reality.

From The Daily Beast

He stops after a second, looks around him and laughs, apparently realizing the absurdity of the endeavor.

From The Daily Beast

Outside of the absurdity of “blood splatter” flying through the air is the implication that Ebola can be “breathed” at all.

From The Daily Beast

Iyer employs a terrific combination of erudition and absurdity that calls to mind the great postmodernists.

From The Daily Beast

The absurdity of the prefix is immediately clear in that no-one ever speaks of “working fathers.”

From The Daily Beast

"They make me feel injustice and look upon absurdity," replied this philosopher of thirteen.

From Project Gutenberg

Lucy looked at her cousin; the absurdity of the scene was too much for her; she closed the door and laughed till she cried.

From Project Gutenberg

But in what previous age could it have been used at all without evident absurdity?

From Project Gutenberg

As a religion Buddhism is an absurdity; in fact, it is no religion at all, only a system of moral philosophy.

From Project Gutenberg

Did not a famous theologian recognize the absurdity of admitting the existence of a God and arresting His course?

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• craziness
• farce
• folly
• foolishness
• idiocy
• insanity
• silliness
• stupidity