absurd
Americanadjective
noun
adjective
-
at variance with reason; manifestly false
-
ludicrous; ridiculous
noun
Synonym Usage
Absurd, ridiculous, preposterous all mean inconsistent with reason or common sense. Absurd means utterly opposed to truth or reason: an absurd claim. Ridiculous implies that something is fit only to be laughed at, perhaps contemptuously: a ridiculous suggestion. Preposterous implies an extreme of foolishness: a preposterous proposal.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of absurd
First recorded in 1550–60, absurd is from the Latin word absurdus out of tune, uncouth, ridiculous. See ab-, surd
Explanation
Something absurd is really silly, absolutely ridiculous, or total nonsense. Thinking you can wear flip flops and a bikini to the North Pole is an absurd idea, for example. If you run into someone dressed in an absurd outfit or watch a movie full of absurd jokes, you'll probably have a good laugh. But find yourself dealing with the absurd; you'll likely be stuck in a depressing existential crisis. The absurd describes a state of being where human life has no purpose and everything is completely irrational.
Vocabulary lists containing absurd
Unit 1: Telling Details
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"A Walk to the Jetty," Vocabulary from a novel excerpt
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The Pigman
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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.
This might have been a good argument in 2005 but is absurd in a world of fast-shrinking cable subscriptions and the rise of streaming, which has transformed both consumer behavior and the bargaining environment.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 28, 2026
The impulse to replace a deceased lawmaker with a grieving spouse, child, or other family member is faintly absurd.
From Slate ● Jul. 24, 2026
Canned air was actually used as a bit in “Spaceballs,” with the joke being how absurd it is to pay for something we breathe freely.
From Salon ● Jul. 19, 2026
“It’s absurd when I have to call Ysabel Jurado’s office for help, instead of my actual representative,” the 34-year-old East L.A. native said.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 10, 2026
It sounds like stealing the Washington Monument or Niagara Falls; it sounds absurd.
From "The Mona Lisa Vanishes" by Nicholas Day
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.
