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

Just the thought of such silliness made me grin.

From Literature

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

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

From Los Angeles Times

"Through what you love, why not put that silliness on your wall? It's an extension of your personality and will bring you joy," she said.

From BBC

In family touch football, there’s no silliness about the receiver needing to keep both feet or one foot in bounds.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• absurdity
• craziness
• foolishness
• goofiness
• stupidity