nonsensical

adjective

Definition of nonsensicalnext
1
as in absurd
conceived or made without regard for reason or reality a nonsensical decision that didn't take account of all of the facts

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in silly
showing or marked by a lack of good sense or judgment your plan to lose weight through total starvation is completely nonsensical

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 nonsensical Her statements and actions around the killing were nonsensical, defense attorney Robert Kerr said. — Evy Lewis, Chicago Tribune, 24 Sep. 2026 In this context, their baseless First Amendment argument as a basis of this lawsuit is nonsensical hogwash! — Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 23 Sep. 2026 That was the perfect way to expose the nonsensical nature of the initiative. — Jon Root Outkick, FOXNews.com, 4 Sep. 2026 Mayday goes on too long and veers into nonsensical directions, with one episode depicting the pair breaking into a Soviet official’s home that descends into bedroom farce. — Frank Scheck, HollywoodReporter, 2 Sep. 2026 Many bettors use nonsensical pseudonyms or random strings of letters and numbers for their aliases. — Finn Brunton, Harpers Magazine, 1 Sep. 2026 Any fan of the franchise will tell you that the full lore of the world crafted by Tetsuya Nomura is virtually nonsensical to explain to a layman. — Brian Welk, IndieWire, 19 Aug. 2026 Always chipper, always sycophantic, and completely nonsensical. — Chris Murphy, Vanity Fair, 19 Aug. 2026 Shraddha relished Kabita’s innocence and was amused by her constant, occasionally nonsensical, chatter. — ABC News, 13 Aug. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for nonsensical
  1. absurd
  2. silly
  3. bizarre
  4. stupid
  5. foolish
  6. insane
  7. unreal
  8. crazy
Adjective
  • Alongside Kardashian, Watts, Nash-Betts and Paulson, the series stars Teyana Taylor, Matthew Noszka and Glenn Close, who all one-up each other with deliriously absurd lines of dialogue.
    — Nick Vivarelli, Variety, 6 Oct. 2026
  • The title comes from a phrase that became part of his creative vocabulary and began appearing in sketches whenever an absurd situation called for a perfectly incredulous response.
    — Preezy Brown, VIBE.com, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of absurd
Adjective
  • With so many of its procedural plots echoing and sometimes directly referencing real-world events, Cupertino is more substantive and less inherently silly than Elsbeth.
    — Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 6 Oct. 2026
  • Almost sounds silly now, with the way the team has stumbled and bumbled its way through the first four games.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of silly
Adjective
  • But, pounded thin, breaded, and fried, served under lashings of sweet-sharp blackberry sauce, with a confetti of whole blackberries and leaves of mint, the lamb version was brilliant and bizarre, a symphony of strong-willed flavors.
    — Helen Rosner, New Yorker, 4 Oct. 2026
  • There was such a bizarre synergy between that film and being the same namesake as this doll.
    — Brian Davids, HollywoodReporter, 3 Oct. 2026
Definition of bizarre
Adjective
  • Trump’s super intelligence rebrand can ultimately be read in a couple ways, though arguably neither are particularly nuanced or incisive — just further indicative of the daily deluge of stupid.
    — Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 7 Oct. 2026
  • Once upon a time, the idea that the world was growing stupider was mostly confined to the realm of dyspeptic reactionary polemic.
    — James Marriott, Washington Post, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of stupid
Adjective
  • Soaking the suburbs over parking is reminiscent of other foolish, revenue-grabbing ideas, such as a congestion tax aimed at outsiders as a way to gin up money to cover Chicago’s ever-present budget black hole.
    — The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 1 Oct. 2026
  • With Oracle having lost more than $20 billion in stock-market value today, this appears to be penny-wise and pound foolish.
    — Liz Hoffman, semafor.com, 24 Sep. 2026
Definition of foolish
Adjective
  • Derek wants to hear Julia audibly breathing next week, which is both a hilarious and insane request.
    — Maggie Fremont, Vulture, 7 Oct. 2026
  • Those questions triggered some insane accusations from Aces fans regarding the Fever fan and their fanbase.
    — Jon Root OutKick, FOXNews.com, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of insane
Adjective
  • Chihuahua, Mexico Spring 1983 Filming out in the Chihuahuan Desert is actually chilly in the morning, but when the sun comes up, the heat is unreal.
    — Kyle Maclachlan, HollywoodReporter, 29 Sep. 2026
  • The creation of that unreal enemy depended on a complex belief structure regulating church congregations, especially their least conforming and most vulnerable members.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 28 Sep. 2026
Definition of unreal
Adjective
  • The pictures from Bill Clinton’s Oval Office are wild — a reminder of what crazy lives you guys have had.
    — Brian Hiatt, Rolling Stone, 6 Oct. 2026
  • As crazy as that sounds, the Bears held the ball for 42 minutes and 15 seconds.
    — Ryan Gaydos OutKick, FOXNews.com, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of crazy

Browse Nearby Words

nonsense
nonsensical
nonsensicalness
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Nonsensical.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nonsensical. Accessed 9 Oct. 2026.

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