frivolity
Americannoun
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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:
A performance by Bob Hope on a USO Tour is framed the way Mr. Stone might have done it, as a weirdly off-putting episode of frivolity.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 29, 2026
The vulgar kitsch of “The Housemaid” is its silly secret weapon, and it’s Seyfried who stays reloading the ammunition, making sure that this hefty dose of frivolity is as unforgettable as its conventionally prestigious contemporaries.
From Salon ● Jan. 31, 2026
This is what political scientists call "tactical frivolity".
From BBC ● Dec. 27, 2025
But if Gannett goes the way of Disney and settles this, the frivolity will only deepen.
From Slate ● Dec. 21, 2024
Maria had grown up Calvinist, a form of Protestant Christianity with a deep distrust of frivolity and vanity.
From "The Girl Who Drew Butterflies: How Maria Merian's Art Changed Science" by Joyce Sidman
Coppola filled the film tip-to-couture-heeled-toe with songs from ’80s punk and new wave groups, creating a throughline between her own teenage preoccupations and the adolescent Queen of France’s frivolities.
From Salon ● Oct. 20, 2026
Every moment he spends on such frivolities is a missed opportunity to advance his cause.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 11, 2026
The navy did not want its midshipmen wasting their time on such frivolities.
From BBC ● Aug. 8, 2025
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
I am going out merely for the frivolities of the afternoon.
From Brenda's Ward A Sequel to 'Amy in Acadia' by Helen Leah Reed
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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.
