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.
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
It was one of the few moments in her otherwise excellent performance when subtlety gives way to silliness.
From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 26, 2026
To add to the silliness, Carse then arrived as a pinch-hitter at number three after Crawley and Ben Duckett struck 51 in 6.5 overs - England's highest opening partnership of the series.
From BBC • Dec. 27, 2025
It surprised Brave Orchid that after thirty years she could still get annoyed at her sister’s silliness.
From "The Woman Warrior" by Maxine Hong Kingston
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.
