absurd
English
Adjective
(
en-adj)
Contrary to reason or propriety; obviously and flatly opposed to manifest truth; inconsistent with the plain dictates of common sense; logically contradictory; nonsensical; ridiculous; silly.
* 1591 , (William Shakespeare), , V-iv
- This proffer is absurd and reasonless.
* ca. 1710 , (Alexander Pope)
- This phrase absurd to call a villain great
* , chapter=17
, title=
The Mirror and the Lamp
, passage=“Perhaps it is because I have been excommunicated. It's
absurd , but I feel like the Jackdaw of Rheims.” ¶ She winced and bowed her head. Each time that he spoke flippantly of the Church he caused her pain.}}
(obsolete) Inharmonious; dissonant. [ ]
Having no rational or orderly relationship to people's lives; meaningless; lacking order or value.
* (rfdate) Adults have condemned them to live in what must seem like an absurd universe. - Joseph Featherstone
Dealing with absurdism.
Usage notes
* More and most absurd are the preferred or more common form of the comparable, as opposed to absurder and absurdest.
* Among the synonyms:
** Irrational is the weakest, denoting that which is plainly inconsistent with the dictates of sound reason; as, an irrational course of life.
** Foolish rises higher, and implies either a perversion of that faculty, or an absolute weakness or fatuity of mind; as, foolish enterprises.
** Absurd rises still higher, denoting that which is plainly opposed to received notions of propriety and truth; as, an absurd man, project, opinion, story, argument, etc.
** Preposterous rises still higher, and supposes an absolute inversion'' in the order of things; or, in plain terms, a "putting of the cart before the horse;" as, a ''preposterous'' suggestion, ''preposterous'' conduct, a ''preposterous regulation or law.
Synonyms
* foolish, irrational, ridiculous, preposterous, inconsistent, incongruous, ludicrous
* See also
Derived terms
* absurdly, absurdity
* Absurdistan
Noun
(
en noun)
(
Absurdism)
(obsolete) An absurdity. [ ]
(philosophy) The opposition between the human search for meaning in life and the inability to find any; the state or condition in which man exists in an irrational universe and his life has no meaning outside of his existence. [ ]
Usage notes
* (philosophy) Absurd is sometimes preceded by the word the .
Derived terms
* theatre of the absurd
References
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