1
as in insanity
a foolish act or idea
the American purchase of Alaska was originally considered a grand folly
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in madness
lack of good sense or judgment
in all my folly, I didn't think about how my actions would hurt my father
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in nonsense
language, behavior, or ideas that are absurd and contrary to good sense
enough of this folly about moving to the Australian outback
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of folly
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
This folly—which Iran has sternly warned against—is immoral, unjustified, and unlawful.
—Amira El-Fekki, MSNBC Newsweek, 2 Sep. 2025
Just as the Kremlin sought to quell dissent against its vicious campaign in the restive republic, so, too, has a deafening silence accompanied its Ukraine folly.
—Christopher Vourlias, Variety, 31 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for folly
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
This folly—which Iran has sternly warned against—is immoral, unjustified, and unlawful.
—Amira El-Fekki, MSNBC Newsweek, 2 Sep. 2025
Just as the Kremlin sought to quell dissent against its vicious campaign in the restive republic, so, too, has a deafening silence accompanied its Ukraine folly.
—Christopher Vourlias, Variety, 31 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for folly
Recent Examples of Synonyms for folly
Noun
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Working with Chhaya clients who were facing foreclosure, Mamdani got an intimate look at the little insanities of the city’s housing crisis.—
Eric Lach,
New Yorker,
9 Oct. 2025
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Exantus was found not guilty of murder by reason of insanity but was sentenced for assault in the 2015 case involving 6-year-old Logan Tipton.—
Leo Bertucci,
Louisville Courier Journal,
9 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Cut Sanders, just as the Philadelphia Eagles did with sixth-round quarterback Kyle McCord and countless other teams do every year with countless other late-round rookie quarterbacks, and end this silly madness.—
Jason Lloyd,
New York Times,
9 Oct. 2025
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Stella Parton, country superstar Dolly Parton's younger sister, is calling on her famous sibling's fans and followers to stop the madness.—
Ryan Coleman,
Entertainment Weekly,
8 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Packers gonna Packers, but at least Doubs is clear of that nonsense.—
Jess Bryant,
New York Times,
2 Oct. 2025
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Assembly Bill 325 is economically illiterate nonsense that attempts to ban the use of pricing algorithms that help businesses determine prices.—
The Editorial Board,
Oc Register,
29 Sep. 2025
Noun
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With a setting both familiar and uniquely alien to all of us watching at home, there are few limits to the kind of absurdities the cast could get into.—
Kelly Lawler,
USA Today,
11 Oct. 2025
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More than anything, even amid the silliness and absurdities of the medical emergencies, the show’s feel-good moments, which involve people being saved and others working together, depict a deep humanity.—
Aramide Tinubu,
Variety,
10 Oct. 2025
Noun
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The Secret Agent opens in stark simplicity.—
Baz Bamigboye,
Deadline,
10 Oct. 2025
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As for the overall style, Thevenot gravitates toward simplicity, suggesting something in the center of the updo-to-hair-down spectrum.—
Anneke Knot,
Allure,
10 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Its stupidity was entertaining, but its stupidity also freed me from having to think about it.—
Bilge Ebiri,
Vulture,
30 Sep. 2025
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The only reason for this incessant stupidity?—
Erik Kain,
Forbes.com,
18 Sep. 2025
Noun
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But my naivete and idiocy about what this was going to take was staggering to me just six months later.—
Scott Feinberg,
HollywoodReporter,
19 Aug. 2025
Noun
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Yet for all of his stoned foolishness, Bob has clearly imparted a real distrust of authority to his kid.—
David Sims,
The Atlantic,
18 Sep. 2025
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Not so much by her response as by my own foolishness.—
Rachel Kushner,
New Yorker,
14 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Folly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/folly. Accessed 12 Oct. 2025.
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