frivolity
Americannoun
-
frivolities
plural
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the quality or state of being frivolous.
the frivolity of Mardi Gras.
- Synonyms:
- foolishness, levity, abandon, triviality, irresponsibility, self-indulgence
-
a frivolous act or thing.
It was a frivolity he had a hard time living down.
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of frivolity
From the French word frivolité, dating back to 1790–1800. See frivolous, -ity
Explanation
Frivolity is a type of clownishness or silliness. Frivolity is the opposite of getting down to business in a serious way. If people are running around a classroom, throwing things, and laughing, the teacher might say, "Why all the frivolity?" This is a word for clowning or horsing around — not being serious. There's a happy flavor to this word. Giggling when you should be listening could be considered frivolity. Also, anything that's insignificant is a type of frivolity, as in "That's nothing! Just a bit of frivolity!"
Vocabulary lists containing frivolity
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Kylie is the biggest challenger for Christmas number one, with this sparkly bauble of pop frivolity.
From BBC ● Dec. 6, 2025
Meanwhile, fashion—that is, clothing that changes for the sake of change—became associated with frivolity and femininity.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 28, 2025
“Frying the small fish” is a term Delta uses to acknowledge the campy frivolity of some of the topics on her show.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 23, 2025
It’s been a tough morning on all of us, her supervisor sighs, “and I thought a little frivolity would be just what the doctor ordered.”
From Salon ● Jan. 18, 2025
It spoke to Lefty of jazz-age frivolity, gin cocktails, cigarette girls; it made him slick his hair back with panache . . . while, out in the yard, Desdemona heard the singing and reacted differently.
From "Middlesex: A Novel" by Jeffrey Eugenides
Presumably, both sexes have been players in such nightclub frivolities as “helium balloon singalongs, psychedelic projections and nursery-style games with building blocks”—amusements that were popular in the 1960s at Cerebrum, a club in New York.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 17, 2026
The navy did not want its midshipmen wasting their time on such frivolities.
From BBC ● Aug. 8, 2025
In 1431, the ecumenical Council of Basel ordered the deans and rectors of churches to expel "frivolities" and "profane abuses" from holy buildings, but implicitly allowed them to take place in the squares outside.
From Salon ● Dec. 24, 2024
Yet it’s often the case — now as then — that expressions of personal style among serious people are deemed frivolities.
From Seattle Times ● Apr. 21, 2023
Thou hast, I can see very clearly, made away with all his spirit by thy frivolities, and I especially commend thee for dragging such as he up the hill in this heat.
From Charles Auchester, Volume 1 of 2 by Elizabeth Sheppard
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Get a wordDefinitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
