Absurdity: meaning, definitions and examples

🤪
Add to dictionary

absurdity

 

[ əbˈsɜːrdɪti ]

Noun
Context #1 | Noun

in philosophy

The quality or state of being ridiculous or wildly unreasonable. Absurdity is often used to describe a situation or statement that is illogical, senseless, or contrary to reason.

Synonyms

irrationality, nonsense, ridiculousness.

Which Synonym Should You Choose?

arrow down
Word Description / Examples
absurdity

This word is often used to describe a situation, statement, or action that is completely unreasonable or illogical.

  • The absurdity of the proposal left everyone in shock
ridiculousness

This term is generally used to emphasize the laughable or extreme nature of something inappropriate or stupid.

  • The ridiculousness of his outfit made everyone at the party laugh
irrationality

This term is best used when discussing behavior or thoughts that do not adhere to logic or reason, often in a more formal or scientific context.

  • The psychologist was interested in studying the irrationality of human fears
nonsense

This word is commonly used to express that something is ridiculous or lacks any sensible meaning, often in everyday conversation.

  • Stop talking nonsense and get back to work

Examples of usage

  • His argument was filled with absurdity and lacked any logical basis.
  • The absurdity of the conspiracy theory became evident when no evidence could be found to support it.
Context #2 | Noun

in literature

An absurd or wildly unreasonable action or statement within a literary work. Absurdity in literature can serve as a form of satire, humor, or social commentary.

Synonyms

absurdness, folly, mockery.

Which Synonym Should You Choose?

arrow down
Word Description / Examples
absurdity

when describing a situation or idea that is completely unreasonable or ridiculous.

  • The absurdity of the plan was immediately evident to everyone.
  • He laughed at the sheer absurdity of the situation.
absurdness

similar to 'absurdity', but less commonly used. It can describe a state or condition of being absurd.

  • The absurdness of his excuses made everyone laugh.
  • She couldn’t believe the absurdness of the whole scenario.
folly

when referring to a foolish action, idea, or behavior, often implying a lack of good sense or judgment.

  • His financial folly led to his bankruptcy.
  • Engaging in such a business without proper research is pure folly.
mockery

when showing disrespect or making fun of someone or something in a scornful manner.

  • His attempt at an apology was a complete mockery.
  • The parody made a mockery of the original film.

Examples of usage

  • The character's decision to wear a chicken suit to a funeral was a perfect example of literary absurdity.
  • The play used absurdity to highlight the absurdity of societal norms.

Translations

Translations of the word "absurdity" in other languages:

🇵🇹 absurdo

🇮🇳 बेतुकापन

🇩🇪 Absurdität

🇮🇩 kebodohan

🇺🇦 абсурдність

🇵🇱 absurd

🇯🇵 不条理

🇫🇷 absurdité

🇪🇸 absurdo

🇹🇷 saçmalık

🇰🇷 부조리

🇸🇦 العبثية

🇨🇿 absurdita

🇸🇰 absurdita

🇨🇳 荒谬

🇸🇮 absurdnost

🇮🇸 fáránleiki

🇰🇿 абсурд

🇬🇪 აბსურდი

🇦🇿 absurdlük

🇲🇽 absurdo

Etymology

The word 'absurdity' originated in the mid-16th century from the French word 'absurdité' and the Latin word 'absurditas', meaning 'dissonance, incongruity'. It has been used in philosophy, literature, and everyday language to describe situations or statements that defy logic or reason.

See also: absurd, absurdly, absurdness.

Word Frequency Rank

Ranked #11,124, this word falls into high-advanced vocabulary. It appears less frequently but is valuable for expressing precise meanings in specific contexts.