preposterous
Americanadjective
adjective
Synonym Usage
See absurd.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of preposterous
First recorded in 1535–45; from Latin praeposterus “inverted, reversed, perverted, perverse,” literally, “with the rear part first”; see also pre-, posterior, -ous
Explanation
To a vegetarian, the idea of eating a 52-ounce T-bone steak would seem preposterous — absolutely absurd. When the word preposterous was first used, it meant reversing the normal order of things — putting what was last first, and vice versa. Imagine putting on your underwear over your pants and you'll see that there's a kind of absurdity in something that's backwards, which is why preposterous came to mean "ridiculous." The word is often used as part of an exclamation: a chef who is asked to cook with nothing but jelly beans might exclaim, "That's preposterous!"
Vocabulary lists containing preposterous
Holes
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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.
And though the film was far from Spielberg’s first foray into science fiction, it detailed a future that seemed both too distant and too preposterous for some viewers to connect to.
From Salon • Jun. 28, 2026
The series is wildly atmospheric with plenty of gallows humor and more than a few truly loopy plotlines, but great fun with Davis managing, as ever, to sell even the most preposterous scene.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 8, 2026
But even a voluntary scheme to cut costs was described by Marks & Spencer's chief executive, Stuart Machin, as "completely preposterous".
From BBC • May 21, 2026
But never in his entire career had Bloom made a more seemingly preposterous bet than the one he placed last summer in Edinburgh.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 15, 2026
The Annual Sledge Game is a preposterous game of soccer played at the Grounds before Christmas.
From "I Am the Messenger" by Markus Zusak
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.
