ridiculous
Americanadjective
adjective
Synonym Usage
See absurd.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of ridiculous
First recorded in 1540–50; from Late Latin rīdiculōsus “laughable, droll,” equivalent to Latin rīdicul(us), adjective derivative of rīdiculum ridicule ( def. ) + -ōsus -ous ( def. )
Explanation
Did you just say that you could toss a rubber chicken over an ocean? Don’t be ridiculous, because ridiculous words are hard to believe, and they will make others laugh at you, not always in a good way either. The adjective ridiculous comes from the Latin word ridere, which means “to laugh,” but it’s also related to the word ridicule, which means to mock in a cruel way. A mocking and cruel laughter, that’s a common reaction to ridiculous situations. However, there are all different kinds of ridiculous, like seeing a fish holding an umbrella while riding a bike.
Vocabulary lists containing ridiculous
The Secret Life of Bees
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Commonly Misspelled Words, List 6
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"Abuela Invents the Zero" and "Karate"
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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.
As he began his bid to win two majors in the same season for the first time since 2014, McIlroy lurched from the sublime off the tee to the ridiculous on the green.
From BBC ● Jul. 16, 2026
Lib Dem leader Sir Ed said he could not "back joke figures with ridiculous policies" adding: "Which is why I'm supporting Count Binface."
From BBC ● Jul. 15, 2026
Not to give away our strategy, but we want to draw him in, because then he’s not hurting anybody else for a few minutes or spreading more ridiculous lies about innocent people.
From Slate ● Jul. 12, 2026
The women, more liberal-minded, think it’s ridiculous to put a novel in the dock.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 9, 2026
And something about the situation feels so ridiculous that we start to laugh.
From "The Wrong Way Home" by Kate O’Shaughnessy
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.
