nonsensical

nonsensical — adjective

1. Something that is nonsensical is so silly, strange, or impossible that it has no

1.adjectiveB2
Definition

Something that is nonsensical is so silly, strange, or impossible that it has no meaning or makes no sense at all.

Example

Joaquín called the new parking rules nonsensical and wrote a formal complaint.

called + object + nonsensical — criticising a decision

The professor found Walid's theory interesting but a little nonsensical.

find + object + nonsensical — expressing an opinion

Common collocations
  • nonsensical idea
  • nonsensical argument
  • nonsensical claim
  • nonsensical statement
  • nonsensical speech
  • nonsensical answer
  • nonsensical theory
  • completely nonsensical
  • utterly nonsensical
  • totally nonsensical
  • find something nonsensical
  • consider something nonsensical
Synonyms
  • absurd

    stronger, suggesting something is clearly against reason or truth

  • ridiculous

    more informal; suggests something is so foolish it is laughable

  • senseless

    focuses on lack of purpose or meaning, often used in criticism of violence

  • foolish

    milder; describes someone or something showing poor judgment

Antonyms
  • sensible

    based on reason or good judgment

  • logical

    following clear, reasonable thinking

  • meaningful

    having a clear purpose or meaning

Grammar Patterns

be + nonsensical

find + object + nonsensical

Usage Note

Commonly used in formal or critical contexts to describe ideas, arguments, or statements that lack logical coherence or reasonable meaning. It is stronger than 'silly' and implies that something should not be taken seriously.

Common Mistakes

His explanation was nonsense.' (as an adjective).
His explanation was nonsensical.
'nonsense' is a noun; 'nonsensical' is the correct adjective form.
The movie was very nonsensical.' (in casual conversation).
The movie was completely nonsensical.
'nonsensical' sounds more natural with adverbs like 'completely' or 'utterly' rather than 'very'.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

These words all describe something that goes against reason or good sense, but they differ in strength and focus. 'Nonsensical' is the most neutral and cognitive — it says something lacks meaning or logical sense. 'Absurd' is stronger and suggests something is so obviously against reason that it is shocking or unbelievable. 'Ridiculous' adds an emotional tone of mockery: something that deserves to be laughed at. 'Senseless' focuses on a lack of purpose or justification, often used for violence or destruction. 'Foolish' is the mildest and most personal, describing poor judgment in a specific situation. For example: a nonsensical argument fails to follow logic; an absurd suggestion goes against all common sense; a ridiculous outfit makes people laugh; a senseless crime has no motive; and a foolish decision shows poor thinking.

absurd ↗ridiculous ↗senselessfoolish ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • find something nonsensical
  • consider something nonsensical
  • dismiss something as nonsensical

Etymology

LatinEnglish

Formed from 'nonsense' (things that have no meaning) + the adjective suffix '-ical'. 'Nonsense' itself combines 'non-' (not) and 'sense', which comes from Latin 'sentire' meaning 'to feel' or 'to understand'. So the word literally means 'not making sense'.