silly
15
3.5
- adjective
- /ˈsɪli/
- UK
:
aturdido
- Life is tough here lately, only in that I am bored silly and very alone.
- knocked silly
- slap me silly
- scare me silly
Examples
-
The impact of the ball left him feeling silly, as if his head was spinning.
-
After the long rollercoaster ride, I felt completely silly from the sudden rush of adrenaline.
-
I lost my hair 20 years ago, and every time I walk into a room, I feel silly.
-
Or will she come home to an old mother who will worry herself silly?
Academic text (2007) -
In our tired state, we became silly and joked about so much... finishing each other's stories!
Blog text (28) -
Ace has a silly, impish look on his face.
Fiction book (1994) -
My parents sat stunned silly, like cartoon characters who have been steamrolled.
Fiction book (2002) -
She stumbled through the door, looking silly after tripping on the loose mat.
Synonyms
40
4.8
Not able to think and act clearly after a shock or when very tired
3
7.5
Dazed and confused after a blow or being very tired
2
8.1
A person who feels very dazed and confused as if hit many times
Feeling dazed and acting silly from being very tired or after a hit
Antonyms
Idioms
Compounds
- Literature
1
6.5
A late summer time when newspapers and TV run silly, unimportant stories
How Dazed
Surface Forms
Etymology
Silly in the phrase 'knocked silly' comes from an older sense of sælig that grew to mean 'senseless' or 'weak', so it was used for someone who is stunned or dazed. That's why if you are 'knocked silly' you are confused and unable to think clearly.