plural follies
1
: lack of good sense or normal prudence and foresight
his folly in thinking he could not be caught
2
a
: criminally or tragically foolish actions or conduct
b
3
: a foolish act or idea
The prank was a youthful folly.
4
: an excessively costly or unprofitable undertaking
Paying so much for that land was folly, since it was all rocks and scrub trees.
5
: an often extravagant picturesque building erected to suit a fanciful taste
Examples of folly in a Sentence
the folly of driving fast on steep, winding roads
his folly in thinking that he would not be noticed
The folly of such an action should be apparent to everyone.
the follies of the modern world
the famous Ziegfeld Follies of the 1920s
Recent Examples on the Web
There’s a tennis court, a wild swimming pool, and a whimsical folly tower that punctuates the landscape like a page from a storybook.
—
Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 1 Oct. 2025
In Democrats’ estimation, Republicans will eventually see their folly.
—Philip Elliott, Time, 30 Sep. 2025
In scene after scene, my mother’s work showed her nuanced perceptions about human behavior and her generous, big hearted embrace of folly and foible, and, yes, sadness, too.
—Marisa Silver
september 23, Literary Hub, 23 Sep. 2025
But as the end begins to loom, von Trier astutely captures the rising desperation and the folly of humans scrambling when faced with the inevitable.
—Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 19 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for folly
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Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 1 Oct. 2025
In Democrats’ estimation, Republicans will eventually see their folly.
—Philip Elliott, Time, 30 Sep. 2025
In scene after scene, my mother’s work showed her nuanced perceptions about human behavior and her generous, big hearted embrace of folly and foible, and, yes, sadness, too.
—Marisa Silver
september 23, Literary Hub, 23 Sep. 2025
But as the end begins to loom, von Trier astutely captures the rising desperation and the folly of humans scrambling when faced with the inevitable.
—Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 19 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for folly
Cite this Entry
“Folly.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/folly. Accessed 6 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
folly
noun
fol·ly
ˈfäl-ē 
plural follies
1
: lack of good sense or judgment
2
: foolish behavior
3
: a foolish act or idea
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