preposterous
So silly that it is hard to believe.
preposterous in a sentence
- 'A dragon ate my homework?' said Miss Reed. 'What a preposterous excuse!'
- The idea that the moon is made of cheese is completely preposterous, yet the story made us laugh.
Try an 11+ style question
Verbal reasoning papers often ask about a word like this.
Which word is closest in meaning to preposterous?
- Abelievable
- Breasonable
- Cridiculous
- Dsensible
Show the answer
C: ridiculous. The other three mean the opposite of preposterous.
Which word is most nearly opposite in meaning to preposterous?
- Acrazy
- Bsilly
- Cridiculous
- Dsensible
Show the answer
D: sensible. The other three mean nearly the same as preposterous.
Words that mean something similar
ridiculous, silly, crazy
Words that mean the opposite
sensible, reasonable, believable
More words about thinking & learning
- probe: To explore or examine something carefully to find out more.
- prodigy: A young person who is amazingly talented at something.
- profound: Very deep and full of meaning.
- relevant: Closely connected to what is being talked about.
- resolve: To decide firmly to do something, or to find an answer to a problem.
- retain: To keep or hold on to something.
- sceptical: Not sure something is true and needing proof before you believe it.
- scrutinise: To look at something very closely and carefully to check every detail.
More words to explore
Sitting the 11+ in Kent, Medway or Buckinghamshire?
Plain-English guides to each test, from the councils’ own pages: Kent Test · Medway Test · Bucks Secondary Transfer Test