RIDICULOUS Synonyms: 158 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How does the adjective 'ridiculous' differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of ridiculous are comical , comic , laughable , and ludicrous . While all these words mean "provoking laughter or mirth," ridiculous suggests extreme absurdity, foolishness, or contemptibility. // a ridiculous display of anger

Q: When is 'comic' a more appropriate choice than 'ridiculous'?

The meanings of comic and ridiculous largely overlap; however, comic applies especially to what arouses thoughtful amusement. // a comic character

Q: When is it sensible to use 'comical' instead of 'ridiculous'?

The synonyms comical and ridiculous are sometimes interchangeable, but comical applies to what arouses spontaneous hilarity. // a comical hat

Q: When can 'laughable' be used instead of 'ridiculous'?

In some situations, the words laughable and ridiculous are roughly equivalent. However, laughable applies to anything occasioning laughter. // laughable attempts at skating

Q: When would 'ludicrous' be a good substitute for 'ridiculous'?

Although the words ludicrous and ridiculous have much in common, ludicrous suggests absurdity that excites both laughter and scorn. // a thriller with a ludicrous plot

ridiculous

adjective

rə-ˈdi-kyə-ləs

Definition of ridiculous next

as in absurd

so foolish or pointless as to be worthy of scornful laughter a movie thriller with such a ridiculous plot that it gets only guffaws from audiences

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in funny

causing or intended to cause laughter a movie comedian who has perfected the ridiculous pratfall

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective ridiculous differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of ridiculous are comical, comic, laughable, and ludicrous. While all these words mean "provoking laughter or mirth," ridiculous suggests extreme absurdity, foolishness, or contemptibility.

a ridiculous display of anger

When is comic a more appropriate choice than ridiculous?

The meanings of comic and ridiculous largely overlap; however, comic applies especially to what arouses thoughtful amusement.

a comic character

When is it sensible to use comical instead of ridiculous?

The synonyms comical and ridiculous are sometimes interchangeable, but comical applies to what arouses spontaneous hilarity.

a comical hat

When can laughable be used instead of ridiculous?

In some situations, the words laughable and ridiculous are roughly equivalent. However, laughable applies to anything occasioning laughter.

laughable attempts at skating

When would ludicrous be a good substitute for ridiculous?

Although the words ludicrous and ridiculous have much in common, ludicrous suggests absurdity that excites both laughter and scorn.

a thriller with a ludicrous plot

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 ridiculous Snell recovered from a brutal start to his time in San Francisco, likely influenced by his late signing, to turn in another ridiculous second half. —

Tim Britton, The Athletic, 5 Feb. 2025 But this idea of you trying to disqualify people by using these terms is ridiculous. —

Avery Lotz, Axios, 2 Feb. 2025 That’s a ridiculous $15 trillion, but loyal shareholders bought it. —

Alan Ohnsman, Forbes, 1 Feb. 2025 Saquon Barkley put up more ridiculous numbers in the Philadelphia Eagles’ NFC Championship victory over the Washington Commanders on Sunday night, leading to jabs at the New York Giants. —

Ryan Gaydos, Fox News, 27 Jan. 2025 See all Example Sentences for ridiculous

Recent Examples of Synonyms for ridiculous

Adjective

This gorgeous film’s premise is a simple, humanist, and not particularly dramatic one, of the type that the Italian neorealists treasured, but it’s been given an absurd, comic-romantic spin.

— Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 7 Feb. 2025
These absurd names and acronyms speak to both the cult-y side of the Eagans and to the ways that corporations keep trying to reinvent things, words included, that worked just fine as is.

— Alan Sepinwall, Rolling Stone, 7 Feb. 2025