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
Relevance
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in sucker
a person with a strong and habitual liking for something
I'm a fool for ice cream
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in psychopath
a person having or showing a severely disordered or abnormal state of mind
he got out of serving in the army by successfully pretending to be a fool
Synonyms & Similar Words
as in foolish
showing or marked by a lack of good sense or judgment
he's always got some fool plan or other
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to joke
to make jokes
an edgy comedian fooling with an appreciative college audience
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of fool
Malia Griggs, Glamour, 9 May 2025
Don’t let his late entry fool you: This horse is a major contender.
—Greg Rosenstein, NBC news, 4 May 2025
Betsy McCaughey, Boston Herald, 18 May 2025
Admitting that no one is immune to being fooled is key to defending against them.
—ArsTechnica, 15 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for fool
Noun
But don’t let the price fool you—the quality holds up.
—Malia Griggs, Glamour, 9 May 2025
Don’t let his late entry fool you: This horse is a major contender.
—Greg Rosenstein, NBC news, 4 May 2025
Verb
Don’t let the name of his latest operation fool you.
—Betsy McCaughey, Boston Herald, 18 May 2025
Admitting that no one is immune to being fooled is key to defending against them.
—ArsTechnica, 15 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for fool
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fool
Noun
-
Fans can also look forward to performances by the iconic Silver Spurs Quadrille, the adorable antics of kids competing in Mutton Bustin’, and plenty of laughs courtesy of the ever-entertaining rodeo clowns.—
Joe Rassel,
The Orlando Sentinel,
28 May 2025
-
His wife, Susan, a sweet woman with short grey hair, worked as a dental hygienist and performed as a clown named Jubilee at hospitals, nursing homes, parties — even the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta.—
Jennifer Berry Hawes,
ProPublica,
19 May 2025
Noun
-
What the Nuggets need to do is find a sucker who is willing to talk themselves into the remaining $79 million over two years owed to Porter, while sending back a couple of quality role players.—
Zach Harper,
New York Times,
19 May 2025
-
Peppers that produce large fruit should only be lightly pruned to remove unproductive suckers, but smaller-fruited pepper plants can be pruned a little more aggressively to boost airflow and branching.—
Lauren Landers,
Better Homes & Gardens,
17 May 2025
Adjective
-
To write off the Israeli leader would be foolish, especially with new elections not required until late 2026.—
Yair Rosenberg,
The Atlantic,
22 May 2025
-
His writing is so human—his people are foolish in such human ways.—
The New Yorker,
New Yorker,
21 May 2025
Verb
-
Even children who are online only in small doses likely see false or inaccurate information that might deceive them.—
Evan Orticio,
Scientific American,
2 June 2025
-
In November, Dove pleaded guilty in Gaston County to a dozen felony charges related to illegally accessing police computer systems and helping someone deceive a polygraph test, The Gaston Gazette reported.—
Julia Coin,
Charlotte Observer,
30 May 2025
Verb
-
Nikki Glaser did joke that the secret to longevity as an artist is to never age, and these women are the living (and dancing) proof.—
Alex Apatoff,
People.com,
27 May 2025
-
Foxx also joked about rumors that Combs had tried to hurt him in his December comedy special.—
Brie Stimson,
FOXNews.com,
23 May 2025
Noun
-
Learn more about management options and which food plants are most susceptible to this insect in our harlequin bug on vegetables web page.—
Miri Talabac,
Baltimore Sun,
16 Apr. 2025
-
Once infused with the diabolical spirit, the guide is transformed into a buffoon, complete with a harlequin outfit—a mad joker and a dancing fool who does a little jig to the sound of a jazz trio.—
Richard Brody,
The New Yorker,
11 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
Here are five must-see spots for literature fiends in Istanbul: Pera Palace Hotel Pera Palace is most well-known for literature lovers as the hotel where Agatha Christie allegedly wrote Murder on the Orient Express.—
Kaitlyn McInnis,
Forbes.com,
26 May 2025
-
And that’s where many younger Millennials and Gen Z music lovers first fell in love with the artform.—
Scottie Andrew,
CNN Money,
25 May 2025
Noun
-
Yet, the effect can be similar to how a human psychopath might feign emotion to achieve their goals.—
Cornelia C. Walther,
Forbes.com,
24 May 2025
-
But also that is absolutely the kind of insane leap a psychopath would make!—
Proma Khosla,
IndieWire,
5 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Fool.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fool. Accessed 8 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share