absurd

ab-surd · adjective

imported

Definitions

adjective

  1. 1.

    Wildly unreasonable, illogical, or inappropriate; ridiculous.

  2. 2.

    (Philosophy) Relating to the belief that human existence has no meaning or purpose.

  3. 3.

    The quality of being absurd; an absurd state of affairs.

Phrases & expressions

  • •
    the absurd — The condition of existence in a meaningless universe (philosophical concept).
  • •
    theater of the absurd — A dramatic genre exploring the meaninglessness of existence.
  • •
    reduce to the absurd — To disprove by showing logical consequences are impossible.

Related words

Antonyms: logical, rational, reasonable, sensible
See also: absurdity, nonsense, ridiculous
Synonyms: foolish, ludicrous, nonsensical, preposterous, ridiculous

Etymology

From Latin absurdus ("out of tune, discordant, incongruous"), from ab- ("away from") + surdus ("deaf, muffled, silent").