Word
ridiculous
Phoneticsridicu·lous
US/ɹɪˈdɪkjəɫəs/
UK/ɹɪdˈɪkjʊləs/
Definitions
01silly or foolish
B1 · Intermediate
adj. very silly or stupid in a way that makes you want to laugh.
adj. deserving of ridicule or mockery due to being absurd, preposterous, or foolish.
Español:ridículo
“It is ridiculous to wear a heavy winter coat at the beach.”
“The proposal was so ridiculous that the board members struggled to maintain their professional composure during the presentation.”
Synonyms
Antonyms
02extreme or unbelievable
B2 · Upper Intermediate Informal
adj. so extreme, large, or strange that it is hard to believe.
adj. astonishingly extreme or unbelievable in degree, often used to describe prices, amounts, or situations.
“The price of a coffee at the airport was absolutely ridiculous.”
“The amount of paperwork required for a simple travel visa has become ridiculous over the last few years.”
Usage
Often preceded by intensifiers like 'absolutely' or 'completely' to emphasize the degree of disbelief.
Synonyms
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “ridiculous” in context.
Verb
01. find the situation ridiculous
“Although everyone else was angry, Sarah found the whole situation ridiculous and started laughing.”
verb + noun + adj
02. make someone look ridiculous
“The comedian tried to make the politician look ridiculous by imitating his voice.”
verb + noun + adj
Adjective
03. ridiculous amount of money
“They spent a ridiculous amount of money on a wedding that only lasted two hours.”
adj + noun + of + noun
04. ridiculous to suggest
“It is ridiculous to suggest that we can finish this entire project by tomorrow morning.”
adj + infinitive
Adverb
05. absolutely ridiculous
“The price of a single cup of coffee at the airport was absolutely ridiculous.”
adv + adj
06. look ridiculous
“I think I look ridiculous in this giant yellow hat, but it's for a good cause.”
verb + adj
07. sound ridiculous
“It might sound ridiculous, but I'm actually afraid of balloons popping.”
verb + adj
Real-World Examples
“Devlin's night ended with a deserved red card for a ridiculous and entirely needless lunge that fried the brain.” “Frankie died at home in January, and at first she felt "ridiculous for making such a fuss".” “And I realised: they’re all insane, because it’s a ridiculous process.” Etymology
Borrowed from Latin rīdiculus (“laughable, ridiculous”); Equivalent to ridicule + -ous.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
NOUN
ADJECTIVE
ADVERB
- 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.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL 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: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Common
- Level
- B2 · Upper IntermediateOxford
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/ridiculous
Traducciones: Kaikki.org (Wiktionary), CC BY-SA 4.0