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Synonyms

frivolously

American

[friv-uh-luhs-lee] / ˈfrɪv ə ləs li /

adverb

in a way that is characterized by lack of seriousness, good sense, or any worthwhile purpose.

He had an income comfortable enough that he could spend some of it frivolously and extravagantly.
I'm not asking the question frivolously; I am in earnest.

Other Word Forms

unfrivolously

adverb

Etymology

Origin of frivolously

frivolous ( def. ) + -ly

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.

Frivolously worrying whether bacteria had one, two, or three chromosomes would not help us win the DNA structure.

From "Double Helix" by James D. Watson

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.