ludicrous
LOO-dih-kruhs
Ludicrous (adjective) means So absurd or unreasonable that it's almost funny. Example: “It's ludicrous to expect the report finished by tomorrow morning.”
adjective
1
So absurd or unreasonable that it's almost funny.
"It's ludicrous to expect the report finished by tomorrow morning."
"The film's plot twists became increasingly ludicrous."
How to use ludicrous
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishRidiculous to the point of being laughable.
Common pairings
ludicrous claim
ludicrous idea
utterly ludicrous
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Word forms
- Comparative
- more ludicrous
- Superlative
- most ludicrous
Fill the gap
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It's _____ to expect the report finished by tomorrow morning.
Etymology
A learned borrowing from Latin ludicrus, "playful" or "sportive," first recorded in English in 1619; it drifted from meaning "playful" to meaning "absurd."
Class of 1619
ludicrous joined the language around 1619.
See the full Class of 1619 →
Synonyms
View more →Antonyms
Related words
Rhymes for ludicrous
See all rhymes for ludicrous →Frequently asked questions
What does “ludicrous” mean?
The word “ludicrous” means so absurd or unreasonable that it's almost funny. In plain terms, ridiculous to the point of being laughable.
How do you pronounce “ludicrous”?
“Ludicrous” is pronounced LOO-dih-kruhs (/ˈluː.dɪ.kɹəs/ in IPA).
How do you use “ludicrous” in a sentence?
Here is “ludicrous” used in a sentence: “It's ludicrous to expect the report finished by tomorrow morning.”
What part of speech is “ludicrous”?
“Ludicrous” is an adjective.
Where does the word “ludicrous” come from?
The word “ludicrous” dates back to around 1619 and comes from Latin. A learned borrowing from Latin ludicrus, "playful" or "sportive," first recorded in English in 1619; it drifted from meaning "playful" to meaning "absurd.".
Is “ludicrous” a common word?
“Ludicrous” is an uncommon word in modern English, usually learned at around the C1 level.
