frivolous

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An action or behavior that's frivolous is silly and not very important.

When we call something or someone frivolous, it usually means they're wasting time or energy on something ridiculous. For example, if someone spends their whole day playing video games instead of doing chores, you might say their day was a bit frivolous. You could also use the word to describe a person who's always making jokes and never takes anything seriously - that person is being a bit too frivolous for some people's taste.

How common is "frivolous"?

Word frivolous is considered rare in modern English.
It has a balanced usage among all categories: speech, fiction, newspapers and academic texts.
Definitions

adjective

  • Silly, especially at an inappropriate time or in an inappropriate manner; lacking a good reason for being, or for doing what one does; due to or moved by a whim or caprice.

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Real examples of "frivolous" in context

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