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.
Police spokesperson Michael Muchiri told AFP that claims the force works alongside goons are "preposterous", suggesting the above incidents involved rogue officers who were now under investigation.
From Barron's ● Jul. 13, 2026
Never mind that it’s not true, but preposterous.
From Salon ● Jun. 24, 2026
The first installment revolved around solar contractor Ronald Gladden, who participated in a court case along with a preposterous group of actor-jurors sequestered together for the proceedings.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 26, 2026
Murray will be remembered for his razor-sharp volleying skills and the preposterous angles he conjured at the net.
From BBC ● Apr. 15, 2026
But Pena had an idea—innovative or preposterous, depending on the point of view—of how one might find some Botocudo DNA anyway.
From "1491" by Charles C. Mann
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.
