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.
It seemed likely that the prosecution would ease up in person, recognizing the silliness of it all.
From Slate • May 4, 2026
The magic of this “Salome” is its transcendence of silliness into acceptance.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 27, 2026
Despite the silliness, many scientists appreciate the Ig Nobels.
From Barron's • Mar. 10, 2026
But unbridled enthusiasm among private investors that led to late-summer silliness in stocks popular with day traders, especially anything bitcoin-related, worried me.
From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 28, 2025
It’s still with me for no reason but the silliness, for how it unpinned me just briefly from the more serious agenda that guided my every day.
From "Becoming" by Michelle Obama
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.
