1
as in insanity
lack of good sense or judgment
she was both amused and irritated by the silliness of his comments regarding the movie they has just seen
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in nonsense
language, behavior, or ideas that are absurd and contrary to good sense
stop this silliness at once!
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in lightness
a lack of seriousness often at an improper time
this inability to refrain from silliness is a distressing sign of professional immaturity
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of silliness
What really makes Dog Man special, though, is how Pilkey’s trademark mix of absurd silliness and surprising sincerity shines through.
—
Travis Bean, Forbes.com, 6 Sep. 2025
Winston’s in danger of being crushed by the system, not just a few popular-kid sociopaths, and the unassuming nature of Dinklage’s performance gives the character a stubborn dignity amid all the silliness and prosthetics.
—Alison Willmore, Vulture, 29 Aug. 2025
But there are deeper points being made under the cover of silliness, like incisive commentary about how Western Europe views its eastern neighbours.
—Jessica Kiang, Variety, 23 Aug. 2025
That saccharine silliness juxtaposed with the heady themes of the plot are part of the DNA of the franchise throughout all entries and would follow Kojima to his current work on Death Stranding.
—Christopher Cruz, Rolling Stone, 22 Aug. 2025
The Girlfriends star is already known for her aspirational life approach, charismatic silliness and all-around majestic aura, but there was something very special about seeing Ross share her solo travel so intimately.
—Taryn Finley, Refinery29, 20 Aug. 2025
There’s that sense of play and silliness.
—Antonia Blyth, Deadline, 18 Aug. 2025
Whether taking on fraught issues (cultural appropriation, misinformation) or reuniting 21-year-old Bobby Hill (Pamela Adlon) with his childhood crush Connie (Lauren Tom), King of the Hill delivers laughs with its signature blend of insight, sly humor, and silliness.
—Ew Staff Published, EW.com, 8 Aug. 2025
Travis Bean, Forbes.com, 6 Sep. 2025
Winston’s in danger of being crushed by the system, not just a few popular-kid sociopaths, and the unassuming nature of Dinklage’s performance gives the character a stubborn dignity amid all the silliness and prosthetics.
—Alison Willmore, Vulture, 29 Aug. 2025
But there are deeper points being made under the cover of silliness, like incisive commentary about how Western Europe views its eastern neighbours.
—Jessica Kiang, Variety, 23 Aug. 2025
That saccharine silliness juxtaposed with the heady themes of the plot are part of the DNA of the franchise throughout all entries and would follow Kojima to his current work on Death Stranding.
—Christopher Cruz, Rolling Stone, 22 Aug. 2025
The Girlfriends star is already known for her aspirational life approach, charismatic silliness and all-around majestic aura, but there was something very special about seeing Ross share her solo travel so intimately.
—Taryn Finley, Refinery29, 20 Aug. 2025
There’s that sense of play and silliness.
—Antonia Blyth, Deadline, 18 Aug. 2025
Whether taking on fraught issues (cultural appropriation, misinformation) or reuniting 21-year-old Bobby Hill (Pamela Adlon) with his childhood crush Connie (Lauren Tom), King of the Hill delivers laughs with its signature blend of insight, sly humor, and silliness.
—Ew Staff Published, EW.com, 8 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for silliness
Noun
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Those members of Bachelor Nation who aren't familiar with the #MomTok insanity will have several months to get up to speed, as Paul's season of The Bachelorette will not premiere until 2026.—
Kristen Baldwin,
Entertainment Weekly,
10 Sep. 2025
-
She was later extradited from South Korea in 2022, PEOPLE previously reported, and has since pleaded not guilty to two counts of murder and is pursuing an insanity defense.—
Christina Coulter,
PEOPLE,
9 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
This smacks of fake tough guy nonsense.—
Troy Renck,
Denver Post,
6 Sep. 2025
-
And then a lot of nonsense, which comes with the script.—
Jim Harrington,
Mercury News,
5 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
The unique construction of the YH-C3000 strikes a balance between lightness, rigidity and internal damping.—
Mark Sparrow,
Forbes.com,
10 Sep. 2025
-
Olga Tokarczuk also has this lightness to her.—
Marta Balaga,
Variety,
6 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
To give you an idea of this madness, take a look at the photo at the top.—
Ollie Barder,
Forbes.com,
12 Sep. 2025
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Continue reading … DAVID MARCUS – Progressive madness killed Charlie Kirk, a once-in-a-generation leader.—
,
FOXNews.com,
11 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
That’s off-the-scale stupidity.—
Jason Mastrodonato,
Mercury News,
5 Sep. 2025
-
So in the midst of poverty imposed by the American embargo and the frequent stupidity of their own government, Cubans struggle to eke out a life.—
Charles Hammer,
Kansas City Star,
27 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
The late Tom Wolfe, rubbing his hands with glee and spilling lemonade on his white suit, would be delighted that tradition has now taken its revenge on stuffy Bauhaus Europeanism, and maybe rightly so.—
Adam Gopnik,
New Yorker,
6 Sep. 2025
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Or wait, is that an actual expression of glee?—
Chris Willman,
Variety,
29 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
Those who enjoy the simplicity and ease of a hair serum will like Hers’s Minoxidil Solution.—
Kiana Murden,
Vogue,
12 Sep. 2025
-
The secret’s in the simplicity—and the rave reviews say it all.—
Cameron Beall,
Southern Living,
11 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Rather, the Mediterranean diet simply underscores that the majority of your plate consists of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, seeds and legumes, Goldstein says.—
Caroline C. Boyle,
USA Today,
10 Sep. 2025
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Don’t want nuts but still want the crunch?—
Melinda Salchert,
Southern Living,
10 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Silliness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/silliness. Accessed 13 Sep. 2025.
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