Absurdity
/ˌæbsəˈdɪti/
Definitions
The quality of being ridiculous or unreasonable
/ˌæbsəˈdɪti/
The state or quality of being absurd
The absurdity of the situation made it hard to take seriously.
💡 Simply: Something that is silly or doesn't make sense
More Examples
The comedians used absurdity to make their jokes funnier.
How It's Used
"The absurdity of life was a theme in many existentialist works."
"The writer's use of absurdity in the play highlighted the societal issues."
Idioms & expressions
absurdity of life
The idea that life is inherently meaningless or without purpose
"The philosopher argued that the absurdity of life is what gives it meaning."
From Latin absurditas, from absurdus, meaning 'out of tune', from ab 'away from' and surdus 'deaf'.
The word 'absurdity' has been used in philosophical and literary contexts since the 15th century to describe the idea that life is inherently meaningless or without purpose.
Memory tip
Think of 'absurd' as 'out of tune' and relate it to something that doesn't make sense.
Word Origin
"out of tune"