silliness

S1I1L1L1I1N1E1S1S1
/ˈsɪlinɪs//-nəs/

noun

That which is perceived as silly or frivolous.

Similar
schmuckinessabsurdityfatuityfatuousnessgiddiness
Less commonScrabble 9
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Meanings

nounsilliness (countable and uncountable, plural sillinesses)

plural sillinesses

  1. uncountableThat which is perceived as silly or frivolous.

    The first time Tuvy confided his dream to his mates […] they’d howled with cruel laughter at the outrageousness of it, the silliness of it, the impossibility of it.

    2022, NoViolet Bulawayo, Glory, Chatto & Windus, page 253
  2. countableAn act that is silly; a result of being silly.

Synonyms & antonyms

Similar
schmuckiness

nouna ludicrous folly

Similar
absurdityfatuityfatuousness
Broader
follyfoolishnessunwiseness

nounan impulsive scatterbrained manner

Similar
giddiness
Broader
frivolityfrivolousness
Also see
absurdityfatuityfatuousnessgiddinesshoity-toitynonsense

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

From silly + -ness.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Catalan ximpleria
  • ximpleriathat which is perceived as silly or frivolous
French bêtise, stupidité
  • bêtisethat which is perceived as silly or frivolous
  • stupiditéthat which is perceived as silly or frivolous
German Dummheit, Albernheit
  • Dummheitthat which is perceived as silly or frivolous
  • Albernheitthat which is perceived as silly or frivolous
Irish aerthacht, breallaireacht
  • aerthachtthat which is perceived as silly or frivolous
  • breallaireachtthat which is perceived as silly or frivolous
  • breallántachtthat which is perceived as silly or frivolous
  • brealsúnachtthat which is perceived as silly or frivolous
  • bundúnachtthat which is perceived as silly or frivolous
  • diúidethat which is perceived as silly or frivolous
  • dreolánachtthat which is perceived as silly or frivolous
  • éagantachtthat which is perceived as silly or frivolous
  • gamalachtthat which is perceived as silly or frivolous
  • gogaideachtthat which is perceived as silly or frivolous
  • guanachtthat which is perceived as silly or frivolous
  • leamhasthat which is perceived as silly or frivolous
Italian stupidità
  • stupiditàthat which is perceived as silly or frivolous
Latin fatuitās, socordia
  • fatuitāsthat which is perceived as silly or frivolous
  • socordiathat which is perceived as silly or frivolous
Latvian muļķība, dumjība
  • muļķībathat which is perceived as silly or frivolous
  • dumjībathat which is perceived as silly or frivolous
Scottish Gaelic amaideas
  • amaideasthat which is perceived as silly or frivolous
Swedish larv, dumhet
  • larvthat which is perceived as silly or frivolous
  • dumhetthat which is perceived as silly or frivolous
  • fånighetthat which is perceived as silly or frivolous
Cite this entry
APA

silliness. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/silliness

MLA

“silliness.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/silliness. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “silliness,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/silliness.

Source: silliness on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.