Word
preposterous
Phoneticspre·pos·ter·ous, stress on the second syllable
US/pɹɪˈpɑstɝəs/
UK/pɹɪpˈɒstəɹəs/
Definition
adj. completely silly or impossible to believe. You use this when an idea or situation is so strange that it makes no sense at all.
adj. contrary to reason or common sense; utterly absurd or ridiculous. Often used to express strong disbelief or indignation regarding a proposal or claim.
Examples
“The idea that the moon is made of cheese is preposterous.”
“It is preposterous to suggest that a professional athlete could survive on a diet of only candy.”
“The defense attorney argued that the prosecution's timeline was preposterous, as it required the defendant to be in two cities simultaneously without any means of rapid transport.”
Examples
simple
“The idea that the moon is made of cheese is preposterous.”
contextual
“It is preposterous to suggest that a professional athlete could survive on a diet of only candy.”
complex
“The defense attorney argued that the prosecution's timeline was preposterous, as it required the defendant to be in two cities simultaneously without any means of rapid transport.”
Usage
Often used predicatively after linking verbs like 'be', 'sound', or 'seem'.
Real-World Examples
“But for the second half of this film, a world-famous British research scientist with an extreme fear of heights dangles from it, fighting off highly skilled assassins in increasingly preposterous ways.” “The first of two parts, it offers a good-humoured, though naturally sympathetic, perspective on France’s great wartime hero, played with martyred and faintly preposterous hauteur by Franco-Armenian actor Simon Abkarian.” Etymology
From Latin praeposterus (“with the hinder part before, reversed, inverted, perverted”), from prae (“before”) + posterus (“coming after”).
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
- Occasional
- Level
- C1 · Advanced
- Updated
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englishreference.com/q/preposterous