Word
absurd
Phoneticsab·surd, stress on the second syllable
US/əbˈsɝd/
UK/ɐbsˈɜːd/
Definitions
01ridiculous or silly
B2 · Upper Intermediate
adj. completely silly or unreasonable in a way that is often funny.
adj. utterly illogical, unreasonable, or incongruous; often used to describe situations or claims that provoke ridicule.
“It is absurd to suggest that a cat could drive a car.”
“The notion that the company could double its profits while cutting its entire marketing budget was dismissed as patently absurd by the board.”
Synonyms
Antonyms
02meaningless
C1 · Advanced Academic
adj. having no clear meaning or purpose in life.
adj. pertaining to the belief that the universe is chaotic and lacks an inherent meaning or rational order.
“In the play, the characters wait for a man who never arrives, showing how absurd life can feel.”
“Existentialist writers often explored the absurd nature of human effort in a world that offers no divine guidance or objective morality.”
Synonyms
Antonyms
03the lack of meaning
C1 · Advanced Uncountable noun Philosophy Academic · Formal
n. the idea that humans want to find meaning in a world that has none.
n. the philosophical concept of the conflict between the human tendency to seek inherent value and the inability to find any in a purposeless universe.
“The philosopher wrote about the struggle of facing the absurd every day.”
“Camus argued that individuals must acknowledge the absurd rather than seeking false certainties in religion or science.”
Usage
Usually preceded by the definite article 'the'.
Synonyms
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “absurd” in context.
Verb
01. border on the absurd
“The demands made by the strikers began to border on the absurd.”
verb + prep + adj
02. sound absurd
“I know it might sound absurd, but I believe we are being followed.”
verb + adj
Adjective
03. absurd to suggest
“It is absurd to suggest that a child could have managed this complex operation alone.”
adj + infinitive
04. patently absurd
“His claims of innocence were patently absurd given the video evidence.”
adv + adj
05. utterly absurd
“The notion that the earth is flat is utterly absurd in the face of scientific evidence.”
adv + adj
Noun
06. height of the absurd
“Charging for oxygen in a hospital seems like the height of the absurd.”
noun + of + noun
07. theater of the absurd
“Beckett is one of the most famous playwrights associated with the theater of the absurd.”
noun + of + noun
Real-World Examples
“It added that it was “absurd that the US appears to treat North Korea more respectfully than its ally South Korea”.” “If the American Dream feels out of reach, and college seems like an expensive obstacle, calls to take them seriously may feel inauthentic, alienating and absurd .” “The storylines range from the mundane - dealing with GP appointment waiting times - to the absurd.” Etymology
First attested in 1557. From Middle French absurde, from Latin absurdus (“incongruous, dissonant, out of tune”), from ab (“away from, out”) + surdus (“silent, deaf, dull-sounding”). Compare surd.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
ADJECTIVE
ADVERB
Related words
Domain
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- C1 · AdvancedOxford
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