Definition, Meaning & Synonyms
bathos
noun
/ˈbeɪθɒs/
Definition
Bathos is a sudden and often ludicrous transition from a significant idea to triviality or absurdity.
Examples
- His speech was filled with passion until he included a reference to his cat, creating an unexpected bathos.
- The film’s conclusion, meant to be profound, ended with a bathos-inducing scene of the hero slipping on a banana peel.
Meaning
It refers to an abrupt shift from elevated language or emotion to something mundane or ridiculous, often used in satire and comedy.
Synonyms
- anticlimax
- triviality
- silliness
- ridiculousness
