preposterous

adjective

pri-ˈpä-st(ə-)rəs How to pronounce preposterous (audio)
Definition of preposterousnext
1
as in absurd
conceived or made without regard for reason or reality the idea that extraterrestrials built the pyramids is preposterous

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in silly
showing or marked by a lack of good sense or judgment a preposterous suggestion to go swimming in this freezing weather

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in ridiculous
so foolish or pointless as to be worthy of scornful laughter the movie thriller had such a preposterous plot that we were on the edge of our seats snickering

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of preposterous Her choices are so preposterous that much of the dread which should run throughout the movie becomes comedic. — Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 26 June 2026 Even the creator of the Pet Rock — the preposterous 1975 phenomenon that was, yes, a rock in a box — tried to get in on the act. — ABC News, 13 June 2026 The idea of trying to fight inflation by slowing economic activity is preposterous. — Steve Forbes, Forbes.com, 12 June 2026 Which are totally preposterous. — Virginia Chamlee, PEOPLE, 12 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for preposterous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for preposterous
  1. absurd
  2. silly
  3. ridiculous
  4. bizarre
  5. foolish
  6. pathetic
  7. unreal
  8. stupid
Adjective
  • Open the requisition on a Monday and the number is already absurd.
    — Vibhas Ratanjee, Forbes.com, 29 July 2026
  • Their air of slightly absurd quasi-spontaneity is nicely amplified by the jittery yet unobtrusive rhythms of the direction and Yost’s editing.
    — Dennis Harvey, Variety, 28 July 2026
Definition of absurd
Adjective
  • Kind of a silly riddle, but what’s life if not a little silly.
    — Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 30 July 2026
  • Ranking titanic figures from different eras might be a fruitless and silly exercise to some, but this type of debate is also the one thing sports is supposed to be.
    — Ian O'Connor, New York Times, 30 July 2026
Definition of silly
Adjective
  • That was, frankly, ridiculous, and our coverage said as much, arguing that this deep dive into one of Hollywood’s most notorious genre disasters deserved a much wider release.
    — Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 30 July 2026
  • Its predecessor, No Way Home, mixed up good and bad guys from three different iterations of the Spider-Man franchise for a ridiculous phantasmagoria of clanging action figures.
    — David Sims, The Atlantic, 30 July 2026
Definition of ridiculous
Adjective
  • Whatever ends up coming for Alpha, with their TV fragmented into a billion tiny screens, it’s bound to be bizarre.
    — Sasha Geffen, Pitchfork, 2 Aug. 2026
  • Former Philadelphia Phillies outfielder Harrison Bader's San Francisco Giants season has ended prematurely due to a bizarre scooter accident.
    — Peter Chawaga, Forbes.com, 1 Aug. 2026
Definition of bizarre
Adjective
  • Drawing definitive conclusions from pre-season is foolish — but Lacey has shown his close control, pace, and scored an excellent goal in the previous friendly against Rosenborg.
    — Cerys Jones, New York Times, 2 Aug. 2026
  • Johnson continued this week to push for his foolish and counterproductive desire to impose a $33-per-month tax on each Chicago job generated by the city’s largest private-sector employers.
    — The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 10 July 2026
Definition of foolish
Adjective
  • Despite the Warriors operating with a pathetic sense of self-mortification — bending over backward for the mere possibility the King might grace them with his presence — the power of friendship wasn’t enough to lure James to the Bay.
    — Dieter Kurtenbach, Mercury News, 24 July 2026
  • Instagram Plus is social media’s newest low—a company preying on our most pathetic impulses, for the price of a small iced coffee.
    — Annie Joy Williams, The Atlantic, 28 June 2026
Definition of pathetic
Adjective
  • When the maple leaves turn red and temples or mountain areas are illuminated at night, the landscape feels almost unreal.
    — Shivani Vora, Forbes.com, 29 July 2026
  • These digital technologies have also created an echo chamber of self-confirming views, which has contributed to an unreal, simplified view of a nuanced, messy world.
    — Simon Sebag Montefiore, The Atlantic, 28 June 2026
Definition of unreal
Adjective
  • Parametric modeling, especially when weighted down with decades of AutoCAD’s stupid UI/UX choices, was even harder than programming.
    — Lee Hutchinson, ArsTechnica, 23 July 2026
  • The simplest explanation is that Vance believes his voters are stupid.
    — David A. Graham, The Atlantic, 21 July 2026
Definition of stupid

Browse Nearby Words

prepossessions
preposterous
preposterousness
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Preposterous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/preposterous. Accessed 5 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on preposterous

Nglish: Translation of preposterous for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

'Sneaked' or 'Snuck': Which is correct?

Why does English have so many silent letters?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Dutch Treat and French Leave: Eight Place-Based Compounds

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

How long is a jiffy?

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)
See More

Popular

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Dutch Treat and French Leave: Eight Place-Based Compounds

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
asap street sign
Figure Out These Acronyms ASAP You don't have to be a NASA engineer to get these...
See All