clearly nonsensical

USAGE SUMMARY

"clearly nonsensical" is correct and usable in written English. You can use it to describe something that is obviously illogical or absurd. Example: "His explanation was clearly nonsensical, leaving everyone confused." Alternative expressions include "obviously absurd" and "evidently illogical."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

5 human-written examples

The idea that society can become more prosperous by paying more of its citizens to be idle is clearly nonsensical.

The Economist

Describing it as a deeply theoretical work, he said that while it was "not a stellar addition to the physics literature," it was not at first glance clearly nonsensical.

The New York Times - Arts

Add in multiple other negatives of food waste, including air and water pollution and the opportunity cost of wasted resource inputs, and it is clearly nonsensical.

Huffington Post

Critical reception of the Amiga version was also mostly very favorable, but in a rare dissenting opinion, Jonathan Nash of Amiga Power called it "a clearly nonsensical title", recommending that players "buy Shadow Fighter instead".

Wikipedia

This reflects the fact that it is clearly nonsensical to require a greater degree of measurement equivalence between measures on different platforms than is required between one measure on the same platform in the context of the assessment of test-retest reliability: at best the same degree of equivalence should be required.

Health and Quality of Life Outcomes

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

55 human-written examples

The Donald Trump presidency isn't explicitly mentioned, but it inherently causes a show so clearly escapist and nonsensical to make more sense.

Huffington Post

The addition of GitHub, which has over 8 million registered users worldwide, however, is one of the more head-scratching decisions — it may be that the contents of a single page from the site which triggered a full blockage request, but clearly that's a nonsensical decision.

TechCrunch

The ban is so nonsensical that lawmakers clearly decided that the only way to get it passed was to keep it hidden deep in the budget documents.

The New York Times

This argument was rejected in the King case by the 4th Circuit, which recognized that it would make much of the rest of the ACA nonsensical, and thus clearly was a error or oversight; normally, in such cases, the language of stray provisions has to be read in the context of the whole law, those judges ruled. .

Los Angeles Times

"To write a check to countries that are clearly not representing American interests is nonsensical," Mr. Perry said.

The New York Times

"To write a check [cheque] to countries that are clearly not representing American interests is nonsensical," Perry wisely opined.

The Guardian - Opinion

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Incorporate the phrase in editorial or opinion pieces to signal a decisive rejection of a policy or theory.

Common error

While grammatically correct, "clearly nonsensical" carries a strong subjective judgment. In objective news reporting, it is better to describe the contradictions directly rather than labeling them with such a dismissive adjective phrase, which might signal bias to the reader.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "clearly nonsensical" acts as an intensified adjective phrase where the adverb "clearly" serves to heighten the certainty of the adjective "nonsensical". In sentences provided by Ludwig, it usually functions as a subjective complement following a linking verb (e.g., "it is clearly nonsensical").

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

65%

Science

20%

Academia

10%

Less common in

Wiki

3%

Encyclopedias

1%

Social Media

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "clearly nonsensical" is a robust and widely accepted linguistic tool for identifying and dismissing logical fallacies or absurd claims. Analysis from Ludwig shows that it is a favorite among top-tier journalistic outlets like The Economist and The New York Times when critiquing political policies or scientific anomalies. Ludwig AI confirms that while the phrase is grammatically perfect and highly effective for emphasis, it carries a strong dismissive weight. Writers should ensure their supporting arguments are strong enough to justify such a definitive label. Overall, it serves as an excellent bridge between intellectual critique and accessible commentary.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

plainly absurd

Simpler and more direct, often used in less formal critiques.

evidently illogical

Focuses specifically on a failure of reasoning rather than general foolishness.

obviously irrational

Shifts the focus to the lack of mental soundess behind an idea.

manifestly ridiculous

Increases the intensity of the dismissal with a stronger adjective.

manifestly unsound

Suggests a formal or structural failure in an argument or theory.

blatantly preposterous

A more aggressive and colorful way to describe something unbelievable.

patently groundless

Implies that the claim has absolutely no basis in fact or evidence.

transparently foolish

Suggests that the error in judgment is easy for anyone to see.

palpably false

Focuses on the factual inaccuracy rather than the logic itself.

distinctly incongruous

Used when something does not fit with established facts or surroundings.

FAQs

What does it mean to call an argument "clearly nonsensical"?

It means the argument is so logically flawed or disconnected from reality that its absurdity is obvious to any observer. It suggests that the idea lacks any reasonable basis.

What is a more formal alternative to "clearly nonsensical"?

You can use more academic phrases like "manifestly unsound" or "demonstrably illogical" to maintain a professional tone.

Can I use "clearly nonsensical" in a scientific paper?

Yes, it is used in scientific literature to describe theories or measurements that contradict established laws of physics or logic, as seen in examples from Ludwig involving medical and physics journals.

How does "clearly nonsensical" differ from "plainly false"?

While "plainly false" focuses on factual inaccuracy, "clearly nonsensical" focuses on the lack of logic or coherence. Something can be logically structured but false, whereas something nonsensical fails at the level of meaning itself.