ridiculous
Americanadjective
adjective
Related Words
See absurd.
Other Word Forms
- hyperridiculous adjective
- hyperridiculously adverb
- quasi-ridiculous adjective
- quasi-ridiculously adverb
- ridiculosity noun
- ridiculously adverb
- ridiculousness noun
- unridiculous adjective
- unridiculously adverb
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.
"I just think it is just absolutely ridiculous."
From BBC • Apr. 20, 2026
It’s not exactly raw, but it is unapologetic; a more authentic and appropriately ridiculous look at the only show of its kind to last this long.
From Salon • Apr. 19, 2026
“You guys are gonna laugh and think I’m ridiculous, but I was like, ‘I might do it for $5 million,’” Rinna explained.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 18, 2026
That is a completely ridiculous misreading of this speech.
From Slate • Apr. 17, 2026
Penelope was only fifteen, yet even she could see such behavior was ridiculous, and Lady Constance was a married woman of nearly twenty!
From "The Hidden Gallery" by Maryrose Wood
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.
