silly season

American

noun

a time of year, usually in midsummer or during a holiday period, characterized by exaggerated news stories, frivolous entertainments, outlandish publicity stunts, etc..

The new movie reminds us that the silly season is here.

silly season British

noun

a period, usually during the hot summer months, when journalists fill space reporting on frivolous events and activities

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of silly season

First recorded in 1870–75

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.

It isn’t quite silly season yet, but the giggles are starting.

From Barron's • Oct. 10, 2025

Zuriff was responsible for previous iterations of 'The Match' - televised silly season clashes for cash.

From BBC • Dec. 16, 2024

“I think that fact has kind of pushed the whole silly season forward where it hasn’t really been any movements,” Rosenqvist said.

From Seattle Times • Aug. 4, 2023

New York is certainly primed for a silly season, which the Public Theater, orchestrator of the entertainment, takes admirably to heart.

From Washington Post • Aug. 15, 2021

Evidently "silly season" over there as well as here.

From Punch, or the London Charivari, Volume 103, August 20, 1892 by Various

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023