Ridiculous vs. Absurd — What's the Difference?
Difference Between Ridiculous and Absurd
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Definitions
Ridiculous
To be ridiculous is to be something which is highly incongruous or inferior, sometimes deliberately so to make people laugh or get their attention, and sometimes unintendedly so as to be considered laughable and earn or provoke ridicule and derision. It comes from the 1540s Latin "ridiculosus" meaning "laughable", from "ridiculus" meaning "that which excites laughter", and from "ridere" meaning "to laugh".
Absurd
Wildly unreasonable, illogical, or inappropriate
The allegations are patently absurd
Ridiculous
Deserving or inviting derision or mockery; absurd
It seems absolutely ridiculous that anyone would try to pull a stunt like this
That ridiculous tartan cap
Absurd
An absurd state of affairs
The incidents that followed bordered on the absurd
Ridiculous
Deserving or inspiring ridicule; absurd, preposterous, or silly.
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Absurd
Extremely unreasonable, incongruous, or inappropriate
An absurd request.
Ridiculous
Deserving of ridicule; foolish, absurd
That hairstyle looks ridiculous.
It's ridiculous to charge so much for a little souvenir.
You make ridiculous statements a lot, like saying that UFOs are real.
Absurd
Impossible to take seriously; silly
A character who goes through many absurd adventures.
Ridiculous
(informal) astonishing, extreme, unbelievable
In a ridiculous feat of engineering, the team can calculate the difference in arrival time to within one-tenth of a nanosecond.
Gaines is a classic motor player with a low center of gravity and ridiculous strength.
Absurd
Of, relating to, or manifesting the view that there is no order or meaning in human life or in the universe.
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Ridiculous
Fitted to excite ridicule; absurd and laughable; unworthy of serious consideration; as, a ridiculous dress or behavior.
Agricola, discerning that those little targets and unwieldy glaives ill pointed would soon become ridiculous against the thrust and close, commanded three Batavian cohorts . . . to draw up and come to handy strokes.
Absurd
Of or relating to absurdism.
Ridiculous
Involving or expressing ridicule.
[It] provokes me to ridiculous smiling.
Absurd
The condition or state in which humans exist in an absurd universe, without meaning or purpose. Used chiefly with the.
Ridiculous
Inspiring scornful pity;
How silly an ardent and unsuccessful wooer can be especially if he is getting on in years
Absurd
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.
Ridiculous
Completely devoid of wisdom or good sense;
The absurd excuse that the dog ate his homework
That's a cockeyed idea
Ask a nonsensical question and get a nonsensical answer
A contribution so small as to be laughable
It is ludicrous to call a cottage a mansion
A preposterous attempt to turn back the pages of history
Her conceited assumption of universal interest in her rather dull children was ridiculous
Absurd
(obsolete) Inharmonious; dissonant.
Ridiculous
Broadly or extravagantly humorous; resembling farce;
The wild farcical exuberance of a clown
Ludicrous green hair
Absurd
Having no rational or orderly relationship to people's lives; meaningless; lacking order or value.
Absurd
Dealing with absurdism.
Absurd
(obsolete) An absurdity.
Absurd
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. Kierkegaard}}
Absurd
Contrary to reason or propriety; obviously and flatly opposed to manifest truth; inconsistent with the plain dictates of common sense; logically contradictory; nonsensical; ridiculous; as, an absurd person, an absurd opinion; an absurd dream.
This proffer is absurd and reasonless.
'This phrase absurd to call a villain great.
Absurd
An absurdity.
Absurd
Inconsistent with reason or logic or common sense;
The absurd predicament of seeming to argue that virtue is highly desirable but intensely unpleasant
Absurd
Completely devoid of wisdom or good sense;
The absurd excuse that the dog ate his homework
That's a cockeyed idea
Ask a nonsensical question and get a nonsensical answer
A contribution so small as to be laughable
It is ludicrous to call a cottage a mansion
A preposterous attempt to turn back the pages of history
Her conceited assumption of universal interest in her rather dull children was ridiculous
