having or showing a lack of common sense or judgement; absurd and foolish, amusing and entertaining, but of little value or importance

make a silly face, silly money, silly sausage

silly season, silly billy, silly goose

Formal and Informal Expressions of silly

In different contexts, you can replace 'silly' with suitable alternatives. In a more formal setting, 'foolish, absurd' is apt. In informal speech or writing, 'goofy, dumb' is a commonplace synonym.

silly: Explore its Definition & Usage

silly Definition

1having or showing a lack of common sense or judgement; absurd and foolish
2amusing and entertaining, but of little value or importance

Using silly: Examples

Take a moment to familiarize yourself with how "silly" can be used in various situations through the following examples!

Example
It was silly of me to forget my keys.
Example
The movie was silly but fun to watch.
Example
Don't be silly, it's not your fault.
Example
She made a silly mistake in her calculations.

silly Synonyms and Antonyms

Synonyms for silly

Antonyms for silly

Idioms Using silly

make a silly face
to contort one's face in a humorous or ridiculous manner
Example
The children loved to make silly faces at each other during class.
silly money
an amount of money that is considered excessive or unreasonable
Example
The company offered him silly money to work for them, but he turned it down.
silly sausage
an affectionate term used to describe someone who is being silly or foolish
Example
Oh, you silly sausage! You forgot your keys again.

Phrases with silly

silly season
a period, typically during the summer months, when the media often focuses on trivial or frivolous news stories
Example
During the silly season, newspapers often report on celebrity gossip and other trivial matters.
silly billy
an affectionate term used to describe someone who is being silly or foolish
Example
Stop being a silly billy and come help me with this.
silly goose
an affectionate term used to describe someone who is being silly or foolish
Example
You're such a silly goose sometimes!

Origins of silly

from Old English 'sǣlig', meaning 'blessed, happy'

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Summary: silly in Brief

The term 'silly' [ˈsɪli] refers to a lack of common sense or judgement, as well as something that is amusing but of little value. It can be used to describe actions, statements, or objects, as in 'She made a silly mistake in her calculations.' 'Silly' also appears in phrases like 'silly season,' which refers to a period of trivial news coverage, and idioms like 'make a silly face,' which means to contort one's face in a humorous way.