English Reference

Word

ridiculously

Phoneticsridicu·lous·ly

US/ɹəˈdɪkjəɫəsɫi/

UK/ɹɪdˈɪkjʊləsli/

Definitions

01extremely

B2

adv. used to emphasize that something is much more than usual, often in a way that seems unfair or silly.

adv. used as an intensifier to indicate an extreme or excessive degree that borders on the absurd.

“The rent for this tiny apartment is ridiculously expensive for this neighborhood.”

“The project deadline was ridiculously tight, leaving the engineering team with no choice but to work through the entire weekend.”

Informal

Usage

Usually placed before an adjective or another adverb.

02in a silly way

B2

adv. in a way that is stupid, funny, or makes no sense.

adv. in a manner that invites derision, mockery, or disbelief due to its lack of logic or dignity.

“He was dressed ridiculously in a giant chicken costume for the office party.”

“The witness behaved ridiculously during the cross-examination, undermining his own credibility with a series of increasingly implausible excuses.”

Usage

Often modifies a verb to describe the manner of an action.

Synonyms

absurdlyfoolishlyludicrously

Real-World Examples

“But, crucially, it’s also fun, ridiculously colourful and totally overblown.”
The Guardian · 18 Sept 2026
“Mike Patton praised them as “ridiculously heavy” and invited Broadrick to audition for Faith No More in 1993.”
The Guardian · 3 Sept 2026

Etymology

From ridiculous + -ly.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Word family

This entry

Level
B2 · Upper Intermediate
Frequency
Frequent
Updated

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