frivolous
Americanadjective
-
characterized by lack of seriousness or sense.
frivolous conduct.
-
self-indulgently carefree; unconcerned about or lacking any serious purpose.
-
(of a person) given to trifling or undue levity.
a frivolous, empty-headed person.
- Antonyms:
- serious
-
of little or no weight, worth, or importance; not worthy of serious notice.
a frivolous suggestion.
- Antonyms:
- weighty
adjective
-
not serious or sensible in content, attitude, or behaviour; silly
a frivolous remark
-
unworthy of serious or sensible treatment; unimportant
frivolous details
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of frivolous
First recorded in 1425–75; late Middle English, from Latin frīvolus “worthless, trifling”; see -ous
Explanation
Frivolous things are silly or unnecessary. If something is frivolous, then you don't need it. Frivolous things are goofy, useless, or just plain dumb. The word is often used to describe lawsuits. A frivolous lawsuit has no value and will be a waste of the court's time. If someone is frivolous, that person shouldn't be taken seriously because he's always fooling around and never gets anything done. Frivolous is pretty much the opposite of essential.
Vocabulary lists containing frivolous
Grade 10, List 1
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"The Monkey's Paw," Vocabulary from the short story
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Little Women
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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.
Jay-Z, pictured at the Met Gala in May 2026, previously hit out at the "frivolous, fictitious and appalling allegations"
From BBC ● Sep. 25, 2026
The defendants, including “Quiet on Set” producers Mary Robertson and Emma Schwartz, triumphed under California’s anti-SLAPP law, which protects against frivolous lawsuits.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 11, 2026
But where those painters and their concerns come off as contemplative or evangelical, Mr. Adams’s works feel frivolous.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 7, 2026
Food writing has been dismissed as frivolous or shallow — as if writing about restaurants somehow exists outside the realm of “real” journalism.
From Salon ● Aug. 6, 2026
He doesn’t tell his parents about the drawing class, something they would consider frivolous at this stage of his life, in spite of the fact that his own grandfather was an artist.
From "The Namesake" by Jhumpa Lahiri
Definitions 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.
