frivolous

IPA/ˈfrɪvələs/
KK[frˈɪvələs]IPA/ˈfrɪvələs/

frivolous — adjective

  • frivolouspositive
  • more frivolouscomparative
  • most frivoloussuperlative

1. describes a person who behaves playfully or shows little concern for serious mat

1.形容詞B2
釋義

describes a person who behaves playfully or shows little concern for serious matters, often when the situation calls for a more thoughtful or respectful attitude

例句

Folake's frivolous laughter during the lecture made the professor stop and stare at her.

frivolous + noun for describing personal behaviour

The team leader warned Iker that his frivolous comments were hurting group morale.

同義詞
  • silly

    less formal; can be affectionate rather than critical

  • foolish

    stronger negative tone; suggests poor judgement rather than just playfulness

  • childish

    emphasises immaturity; often used for behaviour that is not appropriate for an adult

反義詞
  • serious

    the most direct opposite in everyday use

  • solemn

    more formal; suggests deliberate gravity

文法句型

frivolous + noun (person or behaviour)

be + frivolous

用法筆記

Often carries a negative judgement about someone's behaviour in a workplace, academic, or formal setting. Distinguish from sense 2, which describes things rather than people.

常見錯誤

❌She was being very frivolous with her money.
✅She was being very careless with her money.
💡'frivolous' for spending fits sense 2 (about activities/objects), not sense 1 (about personal behaviour).

2. describes an activity, object, or expense that has little practical value and is

2.形容詞B2
釋義

describes an activity, object, or expense that has little practical value and is done or bought mainly for pleasure rather than for a real need

例句

Omar spent most of his first pay on frivolous items like video games and sneakers.

frivolous + noun (items) for purchases without practical need

Dewi called the weekend trip a frivolous expense because they had many bills to pay.

同義詞
  • trivial

    focuses on lack of importance rather than lack of practical use

  • pointless

    stronger; suggests no purpose at all

  • unnecessary

    softer; suggests something could be done without, but is not inherently silly

反義詞

文法句型

frivolous + noun (activity, object, or expense)

用法筆記

Commonly paired with nouns related to spending (expense, purchase, spending) and entertainment (activity, hobby, pastime). The judgement is about practical usefulness, not morality.

常見錯誤

❌This book is frivolous.
✅This book is a frivolous purchase.
💡The adjective describes the act of buying, not the object's inherent quality in this sense.

3. describes a legal complaint or argument that lacks any real factual or legal sup

3.形容詞C1
釋義

describes a legal complaint or argument that lacks any real factual or legal support, making it very unlikely to succeed in court and sometimes treated as an abuse of the judicial system

例句

The judge dismissed the lawsuit as frivolous and ordered the plaintiff to pay court costs.

dismiss + as + frivolous (legal context)

Karim told his client that a frivolous claim could result in court penalties.

同義詞
  • baseless

    wider use; suitable for non-legal contexts

  • groundless

    similar to baseless but slightly more formal

  • unfounded

    common in both legal and general use

反義詞
  • valid

    the most direct opposite for legal claims

  • well-founded

    emphasises that the claim has supporting evidence

文法句型

frivolous + noun (lawsuit, claim, litigation)

be + frivolous

用法筆記

Primarily a legal term. In some jurisdictions, a court can fine lawyers or parties who file frivolous lawsuits. Not used for everyday arguments — use 'unfounded' or 'baseless' for non-legal contexts.

常見錯誤

❌My boss called my opinion frivolous.
✅My boss called my opinion baseless.
💡'frivolous' in sense 3 is a legal term; for everyday speech, use 'baseless' or 'unfounded'.