1
as in lunatic
a person who lacks good sense or judgment
only a fool would attempt to climb that mountain unprepared
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in clown
a person formerly kept in a royal or noble household to amuse with jests and pranks
a king's fool could get away with saying things that others in the palace couldn't
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3
as in sucker
a person with a strong and habitual liking for something
I'm a fool for ice cream
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in foolish
showing or marked by a lack of good sense or judgment
he's always got some fool plan or other
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in to deceive
to cause to believe what is untrue
I fooled him into thinking that we were driving to the store, not to his surprise birthday party
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to joke
to make jokes
an edgy comedian fooling with an appreciative college audience
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of fool
Chaise Sanders, Travel + Leisure, 22 Jan. 2026
Don’t let the cream’s $8 price tag fool you; the anti-aging find tackles fine lines, wrinkles, and clogged pores, all while being gentle enough for all skin types.
—Isabel Bekele, InStyle, 16 Jan. 2026
Joel Feder, The Drive, 21 Jan. 2026
New Yorkers shouldn’t be fooled by corporate attempts like this to shift blame away from the real problem.
—David Carlucci, New York Daily News, 21 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for fool
Noun
Matein Carry-on Backpack Don’t let the backpack look fool you—this popular Amazon favorite packs like a full-on carry-on.
—Chaise Sanders, Travel + Leisure, 22 Jan. 2026
Don’t let the cream’s $8 price tag fool you; the anti-aging find tackles fine lines, wrinkles, and clogged pores, all while being gentle enough for all skin types.
—Isabel Bekele, InStyle, 16 Jan. 2026
Verb
Don’t let the camouflage fool you.
—Joel Feder, The Drive, 21 Jan. 2026
New Yorkers shouldn’t be fooled by corporate attempts like this to shift blame away from the real problem.
—David Carlucci, New York Daily News, 21 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for fool
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fool
Noun
-
That Tomás, who has already survived the Great Hunger as well as a cruel workhouse, isn’t already a lunatic is perhaps less fantastical than the plot itself at times.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
30 Jan. 2026
-
Duterte painted him as a lunatic.—
Sean Williams,
Harpers Magazine,
27 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
The results will show young women who look an awful lot like circus clowns, with faces hidden under layers of masks, gels, serums, and even face tape.—
Jana Pollack,
Parents,
31 Jan. 2026
-
What awaits you is an emotional journey through family, death, grief, memory, hope, and tears that also features clowns – yes, clowns!—
Georg Szalai,
HollywoodReporter,
29 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
For a coach who thinks running the ball is for squares and suckers, that’s not exactly adapting one’s philosophy to fit your personnel.—
Sean Keeler,
Denver Post,
27 Jan. 2026
-
The multi-hyphenate is a sucker for chunky frames, and the Center Stage style from Peepers fits the bill.—
Annie Blackman,
InStyle,
25 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Counting on one of the league’s most expensive talents to play meaningful minutes from here on out at his age with a track record like that is nearly as foolish as Nico trading a perennial MVP candidate at 26.—
Kevin Sherrington
Feb. 4,
Dallas Morning News,
4 Feb. 2026
-
The lesson isn’t that NBA teams are reckless or foolish.—
Spencer Harrison,
New York Times,
1 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Although appearances can be deceiving.—
Frank Scheck,
HollywoodReporter,
26 Jan. 2026
-
Ah, but appearances can be deceiving.—
Jim Harrington,
Mercury News,
26 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Canada’s Brett Gallant joked with his coaches.—
Zack Pierce,
New York Times,
4 Feb. 2026
-
Stewart joked Jon Stewart is clearing the air after finding his name in the Epstein files' search results.—
Brenton Blanchet,
PEOPLE,
3 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Rather than the usual crisscross pattern, Holmes’ sweater features solid block diamonds in bold colors for a harlequin look that is honestly a breath of fresh air.—
Elizabeth Logan,
Glamour,
27 Jan. 2026
-
In these respects, apart from the harlequin excesses of his Stalinism, Cowley is terrifically sound.—
Vince Passaro,
Harpers Magazine,
30 Dec. 2025
Noun
-
The gleaming, cool tones of silver add a timeless aesthetic that brings back fond memories for antique lovers.—
Heather Bien,
Martha Stewart,
31 Jan. 2026
-
The 68th annual Grammys are kicking off the month of love, and all the lovers and haters are tuning in.—
Alejandra Gularte,
Vulture,
31 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Fool.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fool. Accessed 6 Feb. 2026.
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