as in fopperies
a foolish act or idea
writing a sequel to a Jane Austen novel must be regarded as a literary bêtise of the highest order
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bêtises
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
Noun
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For the game, for the third straight game, the Lakers made bunches of mistakes that became bunches of baskets, this time 17 blunders that became 30 Oklahoma City points.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
10 May 2026
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Although the mom of four appeared to spend the rest of her night faux pas-free, she's had to handle sartorial blunders before.—
Michelle Lee,
PEOPLE,
6 May 2026
Noun
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This might seem like an overreaction, but Gator fans have had to endure these subtle shots all offseason, culminating in the brutal USA Today fluff piece defending Napier's follies in Gainesville.—
Austin Perry OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
6 May 2026
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Fanciful Hapsburg follies have been restored and repurposed.—
Joshua Levine,
Travel + Leisure,
7 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Church went to the Holy Land in search of sublimity; Twain fastened on the absurdities of those determined to find it.—
Sebastian Smee,
New Yorker,
4 May 2026
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The comedian’s monologue took the approach of pointing out the litany of absurdities related to the WHCD, including before, during and after the event.—
Abid Rahman,
HollywoodReporter,
28 Apr. 2026
Noun
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For the past four years, Honan has been a worm in Adams’s apple, scoring scoop after scoop about the dramas, inanities, and intrigues of his administration.—
Eric Lach,
New Yorker,
21 Aug. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Bêtises.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/b%C3%AAtises. Accessed 14 May. 2026.
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