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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Over the past decade, the legendary team was known for tragic blunders regarding decision making and communication.—
Nelson Espinal,
MSNBC Newsweek,
31 July 2025 -
In total, Bonilla will walk away with a $29.8 million payday because of Wilpon’s blunder.—
Allen Kim,
CNN Money,
1 July 2025
Noun
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Kittle’s defense attorney revealed his client is a paranoid schizophrenic and was previously found not guilty on prior charges by reason of insanity.—
Peter D'Abrosca , Julia Bonavita,
FOXNews.com,
14 Aug. 2025
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For all his insanity, his base is energized, and behind him.—
S.E. Cupp,
New York Daily News,
30 July 2025
Noun
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To illustrate the absurdity of adhering too closely to genre conventions, Galloway describes a plot about an innocent girl who winds up in a strange town.—
Erik Pedersen,
Oc Register,
7 Aug. 2025
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Drama, laughs, and a healthy dose of absurdity ensue.—
Georg Szalai,
HollywoodReporter,
6 Aug. 2025
Noun
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Miss Manners therefore encourages you to get to him first, laughing it off and attributing it to the folly of youth.—
Judith Martin,
Mercury News,
15 Aug. 2025
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This simplistic understanding of Trump’s success is childlike in its folly.—
Isaac Schorr,
The Washington Examiner,
8 Aug. 2025
Noun
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Economists ascribe an inflationary quality to borrowing which implies impressive market stupidity.—
John Tamny,
Forbes.com,
10 Aug. 2025
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Amid all the looming consciousness that our time on earth is precious, there are also specials unerringly devoted to utter stupidity, and even the comedians fixated on mortality are delivering life-affirming material, too.—
Kathryn VanArendonk,
Vulture,
6 Aug. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Bêtise.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/b%C3%AAtise. Accessed 20 Aug. 2025.
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