Word
ludicrous
Phoneticslu·di·crous, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈɫudəkɹəs/
UK/lˈuːdɪkɹəs/
Definition
adj. completely ridiculous or silly in a way that is hard to believe. You use it when something is so foolish that it deserves to be laughed at.
adj. so foolish, unreasonable, or out of place as to be amusing or ridiculous. Often used to describe claims, prices, or situations that lack any logical basis.
Examples
“The idea that he could fly was ludicrous.”
“The company asked for a ludicrous amount of money for a product that clearly did not work.”
“While the initial premise of the film seemed ludicrous, the director managed to ground the story in enough emotional truth to keep the audience engaged until the end.”
Examples
simple
“The idea that he could fly was ludicrous.”
contextual
“The company asked for a ludicrous amount of money for a product that clearly did not work.”
complex
“While the initial premise of the film seemed ludicrous, the director managed to ground the story in enough emotional truth to keep the audience engaged until the end.”
Usage
Often used predicatively after linking verbs like 'be', 'seem', or 'sound'.
Real-World Examples
“These are nice additions in and of themselves, but they’re our clearest external sign that Apple is preparing touchscreen-equipped Macs after many, many years of claiming that such a thing would be ludicrous.” “He was involved in every aspect of punk, every character, clothes shop, incident, ludicrous look and iconic gig.” Etymology
Learned borrowing from Latin lūdicrus. First attested in 1619.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- 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 · Advanced
- Updated
- アルファベット
- 読み方の一覧 →
QR code
englishreference.com/q/ludicrous