frivolously
frivolously — 形容詞
- frivolouslypositive
- more frivolouslycomparative
- most frivolouslysuperlative
1. having little importance, value, or serious purpose; describing things that do n
瑣碎的
沒什麼價值或不必要的
having little importance, value, or serious purpose; describing things that do not really matter — for example, spending money on unnecessary items, arguing about tiny details, or focusing on entertainment instead of real needs.
The committee spent hours debating frivolous details like the colour of the office curtains.
委員會花了幾小時討論像辦公室窗簾顏色這類瑣碎的細節。
collocation: frivolous details
Jiwoo felt that buying a third handbag was a frivolous expense, so Jiwoo put the money into savings instead.
Jiwoo 覺得買第三個包包是不必要的花費，於是 Jiwoo 把錢存了起來。
collocation: frivolous expense / frivolous purchase
The article dismissed the celebrity gossip as frivolous entertainment with no real value.
那篇文章認為名人八卦是沒有真正價值的無聊娛樂。
collocation: frivolous entertainment
Some people see fashion as frivolous, but Ishaan argued that it is an important form of self-expression.
有些人覺得時尚是膚淺的東西，但 Ishaan 認為那是重要的自我表達方式。
During the budget meeting, the manager told staff to cut all frivolous spending and focus on essential costs.
在預算會議上，經理要求員工刪除所有不必要的開支，專注在必要費用上。
collocation: frivolous spending
- frivolous expense
- frivolous purchase
- frivolous detail
- frivolous entertainment
- frivolous spending
- trivial
focuses on being unimportant or insignificant
- petty
stronger dismissive tone, often about complaints or arguments over small things
- unimportant
more neutral; does not carry the suggestion of wastefulness
- important
having great significance or value
- serious
deserving careful thought or attention
- significant
large enough to be noticed or have an effect
文法句型
frivolous + noun
be + frivolous
用法筆記
Commonly describes expenses, purchases, details, and entertainment — things seen as unnecessary or wasteful.
常見錯誤
2. showing a lack of serious thought or respect; behaving in a silly or lighthearte
輕浮的
態度不認真、不莊重
showing a lack of serious thought or respect; behaving in a silly or lighthearted way when the situation requires seriousness — for instance, joking during a serious discussion or not treating someone's feelings with the attention they deserve.
The judge warned the lawyer that her frivolous comments would not be tolerated in court.
法官警告那名律師，法庭上不容許她發表輕浮的言論。
formal context: legal/ courtroom register
Mira tried to lighten the mood, but Wei told her this was not the time to be frivolous.
Mira 想讓氣氛輕鬆一點，但 Wei 告訴她現在不是開玩笑的時候。
predicative: be + frivolous
When Karim made a frivolous joke about the accident, everyone in the room fell silent.
Karim 對那場事故開了個輕率的玩笑，在場的所有人都沉默了。
attributive: frivolous + noun
The teacher said the students were being frivolous when they laughed during the memorial ceremony.
老師說學生們在追悼儀式上嬉笑，態度很不莊重。
be + being + frivolous (temporary behaviour)
Adina thought the committee's tone was too frivolous for a meeting about budget cuts.
Adina 認為委員會在討論預算削減的會議上語氣太過輕浮了。
- frivolous joke
- frivolous attitude
- frivolous remark
- frivolous behaviour
- flippant
more sharply critical; suggests disrespect
- lighthearted
more positive; does not imply wrong timing
- silly
simpler word; less formal and less judgmental
文法句型
be + frivolous
frivolous + noun (person)
用法筆記
Often implies mild disapproval. This sense differs from sense 1 (UNIMPORTANT) because it focuses on a person's attitude or behaviour rather than on the thing itself being trivial.
常見錯誤
3. describing a legal claim, lawsuit, or argument that has no reasonable factual or
無合理依據的
法律上無事實或法律基礎
describing a legal claim, lawsuit, or argument that has no reasonable factual or legal foundation and is therefore considered pointless — for example, suing a company for a trivial reason that no court would ever accept.
The judge dismissed the case as frivolous, noting that the plaintiff had presented no evidence at all.
法官以該案無合理依據為由駁回，並指出原告完全未提出任何證據。
passive: dismissed as frivolous
Nia's lawyer argued that the lawsuit against her client was frivolous and should never have been filed.
Nia 的律師主張，對她客戶提出的訴訟毫無依據，根本不應該提出。
collocation: frivolous lawsuit
Courts can order the person who brings a frivolous claim to pay the other side's legal costs.
法院可以要求提出無理訴訟的人支付對方律師費。
collocation: frivolous claim
The appeal was rejected as frivolous because it simply repeated arguments the court had already reviewed twice.
該上訴被駁回，理由是毫無根據——它只是在重複法院已經審查過兩次的論點。
- frivolous lawsuit
- frivolous claim
- frivolous appeal
- frivolous litigation
- groundless
broader meaning; works both in legal and non-legal contexts
- baseless
emphasises the lack of supporting evidence
- meritless
formal; primarily used in legal writing
- valid
based on truth or reason; legally acceptable
- well-founded
supported by good evidence or reasoning
文法句型
frivolous + noun (claim, lawsuit, appeal)
用法筆記
Primarily a legal term in the US. When used outside of law, it carries a metaphorical sense of something being completely without merit.
常見錯誤
frivolously — 副詞
1. to behave or speak in a manner showing you consider the situation unimportant an
輕率地；輕浮
以不認真或不嚴肅的態度做事
to behave or speak in a manner showing you consider the situation unimportant and not worth taking seriously — for instance, wasting money on non-essential items or making jokes at a formal event.
Sumin blew an entire pay cheque frivolously on novelty socks and keychains.
Sumin 輕率地把一整張薪水支票花在怪襪子和鑰匙圈上。
collocation: spend money frivolously on [things]
The lawyer warned his client not to smile frivolously during the court hearing.
律師警告他的當事人在法庭聽證會上不要輕浮地微笑。
negative imperative: not to [verb] frivolously
Meera laughed frivolously when the principal announced the new attendance rules.
校長宣布新出缺席規定時，Meera 輕率地笑了出來。
Eliska bought a vintage hat frivolously, knowing she had no occasion to wear it.
Eliska 輕浮地買了一頂復古帽子，明知自己沒有場合可以戴它。
The teenagers were chatting frivolously at the back of the church during the ceremony.
那些青少年在婚禮儀式進行中於教堂後方輕浮地閒聊。
- spend money frivolously
- behave frivolously
- laugh frivolously
- chat frivolously
- act frivolously
- carelessly
broader in meaning; can describe any lack of attention, not just lack of seriousness
- flippantly
stronger focus on disrespect through humour or casual remarks, especially in speech
- lightly
softer in tone; can be positive (e.g. taking a problem lightly may show resilience)
文法句型
adverb + verb phrase
verb phrase + adverb
用法筆記
Often used to criticise someone's attitude or behaviour when the speaker believes the situation calls for a more serious or respectful response.