Word Adjective
laughable
adj.
B2 Upper Intermediate US /ˈɫæfəbəɫ/ UK /lˈɑːfəbəl/ laugh·able
Definition
adj.so silly or bad that it is impossible to take seriously. You use this to describe something that deserves to be laughed at because it is ridiculous.
adj.deserving of ridicule or derision; so absurd as to be unworthy of serious consideration.
Examples
“The suggestion that I would cheat is laughable.”
“The company's offer of a one percent pay rise was laughable given the high rate of inflation.”
“The defendant's claim that he had never seen the weapon before was laughable in light of the overwhelming forensic evidence presented by the prosecution.”
Usage
Often used predicatively after linking verbs like 'be', 'seem', or 'become'.
Etymology
From laugh + -able.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
This entry
Level B2 · Upper Intermediate
Frequency Occasional
Updated