absurd
(adjective) inconsistent with reason or logic or common sense; “the absurd predicament of seeming to argue that virtue is highly desirable but intensely unpleasant”- Walter Lippman
absurd, cockeyed, derisory, idiotic, laughable, ludicrous, nonsensical, preposterous, ridiculous
(adjective) so unreasonable as to invite derision; “the absurd excuse that the dog ate his homework”; “that’s a cockeyed idea”; “ask a nonsensical question and get a nonsensical answer”; “a contribution so small as to be laughable”; “it is ludicrous to call a cottage a mansion”; “a preposterous attempt to turn back the pages of history”; “her conceited assumption of universal interest in her rather dull children was ridiculous”
absurd, the absurd
(noun) a situation in which life seems irrational and meaningless; “The absurd is the essential concept and the first truth”--Albert Camus
Source: WordNet® 3.1
absurd (comparative absurder or more absurd, superlative absurdest or most absurd)
Contrary to reason or propriety; obviously and flatly opposed to manifest truth; inconsistent with the plain dictates of common sense; logically contradictory; nonsensical; ridiculous; silly. [First attested in the mid 16th century.]
(obsolete) Inharmonious; dissonant. [Attested only in the early 17th century.]
Having no rational or orderly relationship to people's lives; meaningless; lacking order or value.
• Adults have condemned them to live in what must seem like an absurd universe. - Joseph Featherstone
Dealing with absurdism.
• In the comparative and superlative degrees, the forms more absurd and most absurd are usually preferred over absurder, absurdest.
• Among the synonyms
Irrational is the weakest, denoting that which is plainly inconsistent with the dictates of sound reason; as, an irrational course of life.
Foolish rises higher, and implies either a perversion of that faculty, or an absolute weakness or fatuity of mind; as, foolish enterprises.
Absurd rises still higher, denoting that which is plainly opposed to received notions of propriety and truth; as, an absurd man, project, opinion, story, argument, etc.
Preposterous rises still higher, and supposes an absolute inversion in the order of things; or, in plain terms, a "putting of the cart before the horse;" as, a preposterous suggestion, preposterous conduct, a preposterous regulation or law.
• foolish, irrational, ridiculous, preposterous, inconsistent, incongruous, ludicrous
• See also absurd
absurd (plural absurds)
(obsolete) An absurdity. [Attested from the early 17th century until the mid 17th century.]
(philosophy, often preceded by the) The opposition between the human search for meaning in life and the inability to find any; the state or condition in which man exists in an irrational universe and his life has no meaning outside of his existence. [First attested in English in the early 20th century and first used in the mid-19th century in Danish by Kierkegaard.]
• Brauds, Burdas
Source: Wiktionary
Ab*surd", a. Etym: [L. absurdus harsh-sounding; ab + (prob) a derivative fr. a root svar to sound; not connected with surd: cf. F. absurde. See Syringe.]
Definition: Contrary to reason or propriety; obviously and fiatly opposed to manifest truth; inconsistent with the plain dictates of common sense; logically contradictory; nonsensical; ridiculous; as, an absurd person, an absurd opinion; an absurd dream. This proffer is absurd and reasonless. Shak. 'This phrase absurd to call a villain great. Pope. p. 9
Syn.
– Foolish; irrational; ridiculous; preposterous; inconsistent; incongruous.
– Absurd, Irrational, Foolish, Preposterous. Of these terms, irrational is the weakest, denoting that which is plainly inconsistent with the dictates of sound reason; as, an irrational course of life. Foolish rises higher, and implies either a perversion of that faculty, or an absolute weakness or fatuity of mind; as, foolish enterprises. Absurd rises still higher, denoting that which is plainly opposed to received notions of propriety and truth; as, an absurd man, project, opinion, story, argument, etc. Preposterous rises still higher, and supposes an absolute inversion in the order of things; or, in plain terms, a "putting of the cart before the horse;" as, a preposterous suggestion, preposterous conduct, a preposterous regulation or law.
Ab*surd", n.
Definition: An absurdity. [Obs.] Pope.
Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition
2 May 2025
(noun) excavation consisting of a vertical or sloping passageway for finding or mining ore or for ventilating a mine
According to Guinness World Records, on 25 September 2016, the Birla Institute of Management Technology (India) in Uttar Pradesh, India, constructed the largest coffee cups pyramid consisting of 23,821 cups. They used paper takeaway coffee cups to build the pyramid.
