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
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bêtises
Noun
-
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
-
The two even argued about the 2008 parking meter deal, one of the city’s biggest financial blunders.—
A.D. Quig,
Chicago Tribune,
18 Feb. 2026
-
Even with good intentions, these salon blunders are better avoided, according to experts.—
Kaitlyn Yarborough,
Southern Living,
14 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Netflix's Bridgerton is a Regency-era series about the romantic follies of the noble Bridgerton family.—
Allison DeGrushe,
Entertainment Weekly,
6 Feb. 2026
-
Without these changes, Californians are probably headed for more fiscal follies in the years ahead.—
Lanhee J. Chen,
Mercury News,
31 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
The luckiest among us endure these quotidian absurdities indirectly, via news stories and social media feeds, their consequences delayed until sometime in the future.—
Ben Travers,
IndieWire,
20 Feb. 2026
-
Indonesian auteur Edwin has spent much of his career examining the quiet absurdities of modern life with a cool, deadpan detachment.—
Patrick Brzeski,
HollywoodReporter,
15 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
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
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.
Cite this Entry
“Bêtises.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/b%C3%AAtises. Accessed 22 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
