1
as in absurd
conceived or made without regard for reason or reality
the idea that extraterrestrials built the pyramids is preposterous
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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
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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
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of preposterous
Although on paper the continent was divided into British, French, Spanish, and Russian territory, this was a preposterous cartographic fiction.
—
Daniel Immerwahr, New Yorker, 4 May 2026
Lisa Demuth, the speaker of the House, said Freiberg’s preposterous bill was dead on arrival.
—Joe Soucheray, Twin Cities, 2 May 2026
Paula makes sure that their hall table is set with the preposterous gifts — exotic fruits, rare cuts of meat — that Agnes has received from potential suitors.
—Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 15 Apr. 2026
Gee, what could go wrong with a preposterous system like that?
—Mike Lupica, New York Daily News, 11 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for preposterous
Daniel Immerwahr, New Yorker, 4 May 2026
Lisa Demuth, the speaker of the House, said Freiberg’s preposterous bill was dead on arrival.
—Joe Soucheray, Twin Cities, 2 May 2026
Paula makes sure that their hall table is set with the preposterous gifts — exotic fruits, rare cuts of meat — that Agnes has received from potential suitors.
—Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 15 Apr. 2026
Gee, what could go wrong with a preposterous system like that?
—Mike Lupica, New York Daily News, 11 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for preposterous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for preposterous
Adjective
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Unfortunately, in life, there are few greater certainties than eventual statistical regression to the mean; the Broncos are primed for it, after winning an absurd amount of one-score games.—
Parker Gabriel,
Denver Post,
15 May 2026
-
The Daily Show making fun of two absurd AI start-ups designed by losers to cater to a loser clientele.—
Bethy Squires,
Vulture,
15 May 2026
Adjective
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The fantasy comedy twisted the types of fairy tales that Disney was known for with cruder and sillier humor and centered a grumpy ogre journeying to save a princess.—
Savannah Salazar,
Vulture,
15 May 2026
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So, yes, this movie about the silly baby Yoda creature has a lot riding on it.—
Zach Dean OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
15 May 2026
Adjective
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Americans perhaps make a bit of a fuss over how good the food is in Paris, but Full Phil takes this notion to ridiculous extremes.—
Leslie Felperin,
HollywoodReporter,
17 May 2026
-
Two very different shows, with very different moods, but two inspirational nights that prove there is no substitute for human enthusiasm—the more ridiculous the better.—
Rob Sheffield,
Rolling Stone,
17 May 2026
Adjective
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That is pretty bizarre, given how fantastic both atmospheres have been throughout the playoffs.—
Matthew Fairburn,
New York Times,
17 May 2026
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Rather than representing a bizarre evolutionary innovation unique to salamanders, regeneration may actually reflect an ancient trait that many vertebrates once possessed more broadly.—
Scott Travers,
Forbes.com,
16 May 2026
Adjective
-
Let’s face it, life is full of foolish decisions.—
Jay Weissberg,
Variety,
14 May 2026
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Trump previously said his administration would have been foolish not to accept it.—
Trevor Hughes,
USA Today,
8 May 2026
Adjective
-
Just a pathetic, sad old man who hated the world and spent his days in solitude.—
Zach Dean OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
8 May 2026
-
The man who has been on fire since the Knicks first tipped off against the Atlanta Hawks shot a ghastly — nay, a pathetic — 53 percent from the field.—
Tony Jones,
New York Times,
7 May 2026
Adjective
-
But this year, the bond between the boys had just been unreal.—
Jeff Vorva,
Chicago Tribune,
7 May 2026
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Washington is waking up to what still feels to those of us who are in attendance or even those watching on live television to be an unreal experience.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
26 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Most big comedy shows at the fest had a strict no cellphones policy, Seinfeld was content with just reminding us that our friends are all sick of our stupid cellphone videos.—
Malina Saval,
Los Angeles Times,
13 May 2026
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Don’t eat stupid food, don’t do music in the background.—
Terry Terrones,
HollywoodReporter,
13 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Preposterous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/preposterous. Accessed 21 May. 2026.
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