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
"It was folly, pure folly," protested Lingard, "and this poor fellow has paid for it."—
Joseph Conrad
Joseph Conrad
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.
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
The past half century reveals a record not of strategic brilliance, but of consistent folly, as the regime has waged wars badly—failing to achieve its objectives, creating new enemies, and inflicting more damage on itself than on others.
—Eliot A. Cohen, The Atlantic, 23 Mar. 2026
Gomez added that while attempts to pull licenses border on folly, Carr’s threats and attacks on the media can create a chilling effect and erode the public’s confidence in the press.
—Los Angeles Times, 16 Mar. 2026
The commercial or enterprise ramifications of this folly were low stakes.
—Gideon Lewis-Kraus, New Yorker, 14 Mar. 2026
Evidence that the Democrats are not concerned about the cost of their folly found a place in the emergency bill.
—Kevin Rennie, Hartford Courant, 14 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for folly
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Eliot A. Cohen, The Atlantic, 23 Mar. 2026
Gomez added that while attempts to pull licenses border on folly, Carr’s threats and attacks on the media can create a chilling effect and erode the public’s confidence in the press.
—Los Angeles Times, 16 Mar. 2026
The commercial or enterprise ramifications of this folly were low stakes.
—Gideon Lewis-Kraus, New Yorker, 14 Mar. 2026
Evidence that the Democrats are not concerned about the cost of their folly found a place in the emergency bill.
—Kevin Rennie, Hartford Courant, 14 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for folly
Cite this Entry
“Folly.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/folly. Accessed 29 Mar. 2026.
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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