Preposterous and absurd are similar words and some might say that they can be used as a synonym of each other. But these two words cannot be used interchangeably in every situation. They are not diametrically opposite words of each other but using one instead of the other may make the situation less impactful.
Preposterous vs Absurd
The main difference between preposterous and absurd is that preposterous is used to describe a ridiculous situation where people might tell something impossible to perform. On the other hand, absurd is an adjective more suited to be used when people are trying to be irrational or act weirdly.
Preposterous is an adjective that describes a nonsensical or insane situation. For example, it’s preposterous to walk on the snow barefoot. In this situation, preposterous is used to describe a fact that sounds illogical or impossible. It is mainly said with a very heavy impact, more like an expression we use in an exclamatory sentence.
Absurd means being very silly but not completely insane. The noun form of absurd is an absurdity and it is also used often. People might use absurd to describe a situation where people are being irrational but not completely lunatic. For example, your ideas are becoming more absurd due to constant overthinking.
Comparison Table Between Preposterous and Absurd
| Parameters of Comparison | Preposterous | Absurd |
| Meaning | Preposterous is an adjective that is used to explain something ridiculous. | Absurd is also an adjective that is used to explain an irresponsible or irrational act. |
| Etymology | The word preposterous has been derived from the Latin word praeposterus during the mid-16th century. | The word absurd has been derived from the Latin word absurdus meaning out of tune. |
| Use | It is used as a sense of passing a judgment to describe an act or a situation where something impossible is asked to be done. | It is mainly used in a situation where people are trying to be foolish or unreasonable. |
| Antonyms | Some of the antonyms are sensible, reasonable, sane, etc. | Some of the antonyms are realistic, practical, logical, etc. |
| Synonyms | Some of the synonyms of preposterous are ridiculous, ludicrous, nonsensical, etc. | Some of the synonyms are stupid, loony, goofy, illogical, etc. |
| Example | The negligence of COVID protocols in the residency was preposterous. | The absurd allegations made him laugh thinking they won’t stand a chance in the court. |
What is Preposterous?
When the word preposterous started becoming popular in the 16th century it was mainly used to describe the insanity in reverse order of a process. For example, in cooking the first step is marinating and the final step is garnishing. So, it would be insane if a chef tries to garnish a dish and they marinates it. So, to describe the insanity or the fact that it is impossible to do something like this. Another example is if a person tries to wear underwear after getting fully dressed. This idea can also be described as completely preposterous. Some more examples of how to use the word preposterous in a sentence are given below.
In many sentences, the exclamation mark is also used while using the word preposterous. It is wise not to use the word if someone finds anything silly or foolish because that tend to put a negative unnecessary impression. So, in any harmless situations, other relevant synonyms should be used.
What is Absurd?
We often hear the phrase “being absurd” when people think any idea or suggestion is weird or irrelevant. Absurd is a very common word mostly used when a person disagrees with any person or what someone else is doing. For example, I don’t understand why Kate keeps suggesting absurd ideas. This gives an impression that the person doesn’t agree with the ideas of Kate but still, she suggested something doable. Some other examples of how to use absurd in a sentence are given below.
The noun form of absurd, i.e., absurdity can also be used in place of absurd but have to form the sentence differently. For example, Dave has fallen victim to a very absurd situation. In this case, the adjective form is used. If we want to use the noun form of the word then we can rewrite the sentence as Dave shied at the absurdity of the situation.
Main Differences Between Preposterous and Absurd
Conclusion
Relevant words such as preposterous and absurd are synonyms of each other but their meaning is fully not the same. If someone practices talking to someone or write regularly using new words eventually the proper application can be understood. The antonyms used for both preposterous and absurd are almost the same bunch of words. To have a better understanding of the application of these words the best way is to write the same sentence with both words. Then you can decide which sentence sounds more perfect and relevant to the situation.
References
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