silliness

American  

[sil-ee-nis] / ˈsɪl i nɪs /

noun

1. the quality of lacking good sense; foolishness.

   The author pokes fun at herself and the general silliness of celebrity culture.

   Her blog cuts through the contradictions, misinformation, and downright silliness out there about naturopathy.

2. absurdity, ridiculousness, or irrationality.

   This “no-touch” policy occasionally devolves into silliness, as when a teacher hesitates to help a five-year-old zip up a jacket.

3. clownish, whimsical, or exaggerated humor and playfulness; unrestrained high spirits.

   Our sessions included a lot of chatter, laughter, and silliness—exactly what sitting around a table playing games with friends is all about.

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Etymology

Origin of silliness

silly ( def. ) + -ness ( def. )

Example Sentences

Random observations on the silliness of all the action—“That monkey just used his cuteness for crime!”—are about as close as we get to humor.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 31, 2026

Despite the silliness, many scientists appreciate the Ig Nobels.

From Barron's • Mar. 10, 2026

The characters’ propensity for ugly faces, silliness and a bit of grossness too, stems from the portrayals of girlhood and young womanhood that appeal to them.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 4, 2026

"Through what you love, why not put that silliness on your wall? It's an extension of your personality and will bring you joy," she said.

From BBC • Dec. 13, 2025

Even though he’d been leading up to this disclosure in the spirit of silliness, when he got to it, it didn’t feel silly.

From "Strange the Dreamer" by Laini Taylor

Related Words

• absurdity
• craziness
• foolishness
• goofiness
• stupidity