LUDICROUS Synonyms: 157 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How does the adjective 'ludicrous' differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of ludicrous are comical , comic , laughable , and ridiculous . While all these words mean "provoking laughter or mirth," ludicrous suggests absurdity that excites both laughter and scorn. // a thriller with a ludicrous plot

Q: When can 'comic' be used instead of 'ludicrous'?

While the synonyms comic and ludicrous are close in meaning, comic applies especially to what arouses thoughtful amusement. // a comic character

Q: Where would 'comical' be a reasonable alternative to 'ludicrous'?

In some situations, the words comical and ludicrous are roughly equivalent. However, comical applies to what arouses spontaneous hilarity. // a comical hat

Q: When is 'laughable' a more appropriate choice than 'ludicrous'?

The meanings of laughable and ludicrous largely overlap; however, laughable applies to anything occasioning laughter. // laughable attempts at skating

Q: When could 'ridiculous' be used to replace 'ludicrous'?

The synonyms ridiculous and ludicrous are sometimes interchangeable, but ridiculous suggests extreme absurdity, foolishness, or contemptibility. // a ridiculous display of anger

ludicrous

adjective

ˈlü-də-krəs

Definition of ludicrous

as in funny

causing or intended to cause laughter the ludicrous sight of their teacher in a Halloween costume

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in ridiculous

so foolish or pointless as to be worthy of scornful laughter a ludicrous and easily detected attempt to forge his father's signature on a note to school

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective ludicrous differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of ludicrous are comical, comic, laughable, and ridiculous. While all these words mean "provoking laughter or mirth," ludicrous suggests absurdity that excites both laughter and scorn.

a thriller with a ludicrous plot

When can comic be used instead of ludicrous?

While the synonyms comic and ludicrous are close in meaning, comic applies especially to what arouses thoughtful amusement.

a comic character

Where would comical be a reasonable alternative to ludicrous?

In some situations, the words comical and ludicrous are roughly equivalent. However, comical applies to what arouses spontaneous hilarity.

a comical hat

When is laughable a more appropriate choice than ludicrous?

The meanings of laughable and ludicrous largely overlap; however, laughable applies to anything occasioning laughter.

laughable attempts at skating

When could ridiculous be used to replace ludicrous?

The synonyms ridiculous and ludicrous are sometimes interchangeable, but ridiculous suggests extreme absurdity, foolishness, or contemptibility.

a ridiculous display of anger

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of ludicrous The idea of manufacturing on the moon isn’t ludicrous, says Patrick Suermann, a professor of construction science at Texas A&M University, who recently visited SpaceX’s Starbase headquarters in Texas. — Adam Kovac, Scientific American, 5 Aug. 2026 Yes, Missouri still played a tough schedule because of their conference games, but to act as though the Big Ten only won a National Championship because of non-conference schedules is ludicrous. — Ian Miller Outkick, FOXNews.com, 20 July 2026 In this World Cup, referees have often stopped the match on multiple occasions to check VAR for offside, sometimes issuing rulings that fans and teams consider ludicrous. — Jasmine Garsd, NPR, 17 July 2026 After decades of calm, the old stories that seemed too ludicrous to be true start happening again. — Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 9 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for ludicrous

Recent Examples of Synonyms for ludicrous

Adjective

The end result is Murder Bites, my funny, quirky mystery that takes place in a small town where everyone is obsessed with their tiny designer dogs.

— Mimi Montgomery, PEOPLE, 26 Aug. 2026
What is sort of funny is imagining how immersion in the city’s cultural scene fits into Vanderbilt’s broader ambitions.

— Adriane Quinlan, Curbed, 26 Aug. 2026

Definition of funny

Adjective

Their escapade leads not only to the creation of their island paradise, Moonrise Kingdom, but a humorous wild goose chase between Suzy’s parents, Sam’s Scout troop, and the island police chief.

— Kara Nesvig, Parents, 29 Aug. 2026
When asked whether his dog has a favorite Bush song, Rossdale laughs before providing a humorous answer.

— Alicia Urrea, Billboard, 27 Aug. 2026

Definition of humorous

Adjective

The roster might as well be an All-Star team, and this pitching staff is absurd.

— David Troy OutKick, FOXNews.com, 26 Aug. 2026
The very idea of a trade war with Canada — our neighbor, our ally, our closest friend, a nation that’s peaceful and whose people have a reputation for kindness — is absurd.

— Robert B. Reich, Hartford Courant, 25 Aug. 2026

Definition of absurd

Adjective

Mystery Men Throw it back to the Y2K era with this 1999 comedy starring a plethora of the era’s brightest comedic talents, including Ben Stiller, Kel Mitchell, Janeane Garofolo, and Paul Reubens.

— Kara Nesvig, Parents, 29 Aug. 2026
The one comedic element Blair didn’t want to stick his neck out for?

— William Earl, Variety, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of comedic

Adjective

American style can be at turns confounding, amusing, and aspirational.

— Luis Alberto Rodriguez, Vanity Fair, 20 Aug. 2026
Morgan Stanley’s Lisa Shalett and her team produced this amusing chart showing year-over-year percentage growth in tech capex, compared with the same for the dotcom bubble era.

— Jim Edwards, Fortune, 19 Aug. 2026

Definition of amusing

Browse Nearby Words

ludic

ludicrous

ludicrousness

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Ludicrous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ludicrous. Accessed 2 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of ludicrous

adjective

Synonym Chooser

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

dissonant

Popular in Grammar & Usage

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Why does English have so many silent letters?

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Popular in Wordplay

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Even More Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Popular

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Games & Quizzes