ludicrous

[loo-di-kruhs]

adjective

1. causing laughter because of absurdity; provoking or deserving derision; ridiculous; laughable.

   a ludicrous lack of efficiency.

   Synonyms: farcical

ludicrous

/ ˈluːdɪkrəs /

adjective

1. absurd or incongruous to the point of provoking ridicule or laughter

Other Word Forms

• ludicrousness noun
• ludicrously adverb
• unludicrous adjective
• unludicrously adverb
• unludicrousness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of ludicrous¹

1610–20; from Latin lūdicrus “sportive,” equivalent to lūdicr(um) “a show, public games” ( lūdi-, stem of lūdere “to play” + -crum noun suffix of instrument or result) + -us -ous

Word History and Origins

Origin of ludicrous¹

C17: from Latin lūdicrus done in sport, from lūdus game; related to lūdere to play

Synonym Study

See funny ¹.

Example Sentences

Leader of the opposition, Conservative Sam Smith, added the ban was "totally ludicrous".

From BBC

And Republican leaders should remember that they, like many of us, are fathers and mothers and grandparents and rethink their hardline stance about the ludicrous, antiquated Second Amendment.

From Salon

"It's ludicrous," she said of theories that he was murdered.

From BBC

In “The Climb,” there is a moment where Covino and Marvin briefly wrestle, a ludicrous sight of two grown men tussling on the ground.

From Los Angeles Times

A-TEAM was such a disaster that the federal government never tried it again, and the program was considered so ludicrous that it rarely made it into history books.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• bizarre 
• comical 
• crazy 
• fantastic 
• farcical 
• foolish 
• funny 
• grotesque 
• incongruous 
• laughable 
• nonsensical 
• odd 
• outlandish 
• preposterous 
• silly