Ludicrous vs Ridiculous - 0 views
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Silly is a synonym for ludicrous; using one to intensify the other is overkill.
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Ridiculous seems to me to be less judgmental than ludicrous. Something ridiculous provokes laughter because it is incongruous. For example, a man wearing a lampshade for a hat presents a ridiculous sight. Something ludicrous is both incongruous and contemptible. For example, a nineteen-year-old with the full use of his legs riding on the shoulders of his bodyguards while touring the Great Wall of China presents a ludicrous sight.
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This is a pet peeve of mine, especially when someone says "ludicrously silly". (For it is the same as silly silly.)