What does preposterously mean?
Preposterously is an adverb meaning completely absurdly or ridiculously, with the sense that something is unreasonable to the point of being laughable or absurd. It commonly describes conduct, claims, costs, difficulties, and decisions: a policy may be preposterously expensive, an argument preposterously exaggerated, or a demand preposterously unfair. The word is emphatic and strongly evaluative, so it is more suitable when the speaker wants to condemn or ridicule a situation than for neutral description. Its related adjective, preposterous, describes the thing itself, while the adverb explains the manner in which absurdity or unreasonableness occurs. The expression derives from Latin praeposterus, meaning inverted or backward, from prae-, meaning before, and poster, meaning after. The combination ultimately suggests something turned in the wrong direction, which developed into the modern sense of being contrary to reason or expectation.
adverbIn a way that is completely absurd, unreasonable, or contrary to what might be expected. It describes behaviour, claims, or situations that are so unreasonable as to invite ridicule.
- In a manner that is absurdly, unreasonably, or ridiculously inappropriate.
"The committee preposterously rejected the proposal without discussing it."
"The proposed security measures were preposterously complicated."
"She preposterously accused the entire office of ignoring her message."
What comes before what? ‘Preposterously’ comes from a word meaning backwards or reversed, so it describes reasoning or conduct turned completely the wrong way around.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does preposterously come from?
Preposterously comes from the adjective preposterous, borrowed from Latin praeposterus, meaning inverted, reversed, or contrary to nature. The Latin word combined prae-, meaning before, with poster, meaning after, literally suggesting something turned backward. In English, the adjective came to mean unreasonable, absurd, or ridiculous, and the adverb was formed with the suffix -ly.
Related word forms
How preposterously is actually used
The word is strongly critical and usually formal or literary. It is more emphatic than ‘unreasonably’ and can suggest that a situation is not merely mistaken but plainly ridiculous.
Easily confused with preposterously
Preposterous is an adjective describing something absurd or unreasonable, while preposterously is the adverb describing how something is done or how unreasonable a situation or claim is.