as in blunder
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 bêtise
Noun
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Also Sunday, Deniz Undav scored for the fifth Bundesliga game in a row as a goalkeeping blunder handed Stuttgart a 1-0 win over Leipzig to strengthen its push to qualify for the Champions League.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
15 Mar. 2026 -
Problems with the city’s rollout of the trash and Balboa Park parking programs didn’t help, and further built on City Hall’s history of operational snafus and policy blunders.—
Michael Smolens,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
15 Mar. 2026
Noun
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The film features a slew of genuine performances, which power up the violent insanity into something at once sensational and dramatic.—
Owen Gleiberman,
Variety,
15 Mar. 2026
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The worship of greatness leads, at best, to disillusionment and, at worst, to the insanity unleashed by the Wagnerian Hitler.—
Alex Ross,
New Yorker,
14 Mar. 2026
Noun
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There’s a heartwarming idiocy to their pursuit, yet what festers underneath is their inability to process grief consciously and the fear that those who deem their existence meaningless might be right.—
Carlos Aguilar,
Variety,
14 Mar. 2026
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Gunther and Tig are two billionaire failsons who have wasted countless opportunities and cash chasing the stupidest ideas and who get rewarded over and over again for their idiocy.—
Roxana Hadadi,
Vulture,
10 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Outside of moments like this, however, such playful absurdity is often absent.—
Emma Madden,
Pitchfork,
13 Mar. 2026
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This is not Margot Robbie eating a giant strawberry in Wuthering Heights, a choice that aims for delightful absurdity but ultimately feels mannered.—
Jason P. Frank,
Vulture,
12 Mar. 2026
Noun
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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,
Los Angeles Times,
16 Mar. 2026
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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
Noun
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Any who show up are declaring their indelible stupidity and misogyny.—
Gil Kaufman,
Billboard,
24 Feb. 2026
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As to the famous fine line between stupid and clever, the stupidity and the cleverness are all but inextricable, and to the point.—
Television Critic,
Los Angeles Times,
20 Feb. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Bêtise.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/b%C3%AAtise. Accessed 21 Mar. 2026.
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