silliness

American  

[sil-ee-nis] / ˈsɪl i nɪs /

noun

1. 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.

2. 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.

3. 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.

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Etymology

Origin of silliness

silly ( def. ) + -ness ( def. )

Example Sentences

Random observations on the silliness of all the action—“That monkey just used his cuteness for crime!”—are about as close as we get to humor.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 31, 2026

Despite the silliness, many scientists appreciate the Ig Nobels.

From Barron's • Mar. 10, 2026

Michael Neser claimed four wickets, Scott Boland three, with the silliness of the day summed up by Boland then opening the batting as nightwatchman.

From BBC • Dec. 26, 2025

The attraction emphasized silliness, taking riders into “Catnip Junction” and through rat-infested sewers.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 22, 2025

I'm glad Rani is still willing to keep me around, although she must be amazed by my silliness.

From "Born Behind Bars" by Padma Venkatraman

Related Words

• absurdity
• craziness
• foolishness
• goofiness
• stupidity