silliness
Americannoun
-
the quality of lacking good sense; foolishness.
The author pokes fun at herself and the general silliness of celebrity culture.
Her blog cuts through the contradictions, misinformation, and downright silliness out there about naturopathy.
-
absurdity, ridiculousness, or irrationality.
This “no-touch” policy occasionally devolves into silliness, as when a teacher hesitates to help a five-year-old zip up a jacket.
-
clownish, whimsical, or exaggerated humor and playfulness; unrestrained high spirits.
Our sessions included a lot of chatter, laughter, and silliness—exactly what sitting around a table playing games with friends is all about.
Etymology
Origin of silliness
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.
The same sort of silliness repeated a few years ago when companies started stuffing references to cryptocurrency into their corporate names.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 21, 2026
"Extra time was looking likely, but one moment of madness, indiscipline and silliness has cost Real the chance of getting to the last four," he added.
From BBC • Apr. 15, 2026
Despite the silliness, many scientists appreciate the Ig Nobels.
From Barron's • Mar. 10, 2026
“It’s important not to take yourself too seriously. We’re showing that it’s OK to have fun. And that silliness is a big, important component of rock and roll.”
From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 13, 2026
At the last, the two of them were laughing so loudly they were almost paralyzed by their own silliness.
From "The Devil's Arithmetic" by Jane Yolen
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.
