frivolous

CEFRC2

/ˈfɹɪv.ə.ləs/

adjective

Türkçe translations

Translating…

In plain English

  1. 01

    adjective

    Not serious or useful, especially because it lacks a good reason.

  2. 02

    adjective

    Extra detail

    Having no reasonable prospect of success because its claim is without merit, lacking a supporting legal or factual basis, while the filing party is, or should be, aware of this.

Examples

  • Stop wasting time on frivolous activities.

  • The lawsuit was dismissed as frivolous.

At a glance

Sits at C2 on the CEFR scale

Senses
5
Parts of speech
1
Citations
1
Synonyms
5

Deep Dive

adjective

Extra meanings

  1. Of little weight or importance; not worth notice; slight; trivial.

  2. 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.

  3. 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 caprice or whim.

More examples

In context

  • One of the major cost drivers in the delivery of health care are these junk and frivolous lawsuits.

  • trifling ((literary)

  • There is no easy definition for the phrase 'frivolous lawsuit,' but I imagine any claim for damages where the injuries are minimal or where the basis for the defendant's liability is hard to believe, might qualify as frivolous.

Synonyms

Quick test

Two questions on this entry. Nothing is scored.

Question 1 · Quick check

His blank joke made everyone laugh during the serious meeting.

Practise this properly in the app, where the word comes back before you forget it.

Nearby

Origin

adjective

From Latin frīvolus (“silly, empty, trifling, frivolous, worthless”), with the ending modified to match -ous.