the absurd

noun

: a state or condition of extreme silliness or foolishness : an absurd or ridiculous state

Her ideas once seemed reasonable, but now they verge on the absurd.

: things that are absurd

a filmmaker who is fascinated with the absurd

Examples of the absurd in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web This is amusing stuff, well served by Coogan’s knack for haughty composure in the face of the absurd. —

Guy Lodge, Variety, 11 Sep. 2024 The acceleration can verge on the absurd—an electric Hummer pickup truck, which weighs nearly 10,000 pounds, can go from zero to 60 miles per hour about as quickly as a Formula 1 race car. —

Matteo Wong, The Atlantic, 15 Aug. 2024 The questions in his class outside Chicago ranged from the absurd to the practical to the academic. —

Dan Merica, Fortune, 14 Aug. 2024 Like Beckett’s play, there is no Godot who will come, but we are all caught in a world where the mundane, the absurd and our own desire for answers propel us forward. —

Todd Martens, Los Angeles Times, 15 Aug. 2024 See all Example Sentences for the absurd

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'the absurd.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.