1
as in insanity
a foolish act or idea
the American purchase of Alaska was originally considered a grand folly
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in madness
lack of good sense or judgment
in all my folly, I didn't think about how my actions would hurt my father
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in nonsense
language, behavior, or ideas that are absurd and contrary to good sense
enough of this folly about moving to the Australian outback
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of folly
Without these changes, Californians are probably headed for more fiscal follies in the years ahead.
—
Lanhee J. Chen, Mercury News, 31 Jan. 2026
Later in the season, after the Bridgerton sons playfully throw shaving foam at each other, a maid is shown scrubbing the floor, the furniture, and the walls, their fun and folly now her toil.
—Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 30 Jan. 2026
But right now, nearly every fleck of AI folly that’s risen to the top has been utter dreck.
—Kieran Press-Reynolds, Pitchfork, 28 Jan. 2026
Here the glory is threaded with human folly.
—Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 22 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for folly
Lanhee J. Chen, Mercury News, 31 Jan. 2026
Later in the season, after the Bridgerton sons playfully throw shaving foam at each other, a maid is shown scrubbing the floor, the furniture, and the walls, their fun and folly now her toil.
—Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 30 Jan. 2026
But right now, nearly every fleck of AI folly that’s risen to the top has been utter dreck.
—Kieran Press-Reynolds, Pitchfork, 28 Jan. 2026
Here the glory is threaded with human folly.
—Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 22 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for folly
Recent Examples of Synonyms for folly
Noun
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Reiner’s lawyers may plead insanity as part of his defense in connection with a long history of drug use and other mental health disorders.—
Brian Welk,
IndieWire,
23 Feb. 2026
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Los Angeles entertainment and trial lawyer Tre Lovell tells USA TODAY that Reiner will likely plead not guilty by reason of insanity.—
Anna Kaufman,
USA Today,
23 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Sopho derives from the Greek word for wisdom, mania from the Greek word for madness.—
Scott Lafee,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
24 Feb. 2026
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With all the madness going on out there, this is exactly the game the world needs right now.—
Sean Williams,
Harpers Magazine,
24 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Understanding the hilarity and nonsense of this comment can help understand why there is so much division in our country today.—
Letters to the Editor,
The Orlando Sentinel,
27 Feb. 2026
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The dystopian extreme is AI model collapse, in which systems trained heavily on their own output begin to produce nonsense.—
R. Alexander Bentley,
The Conversation,
26 Feb. 2026
Noun
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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
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Undermain Theatre’s production, directed by Stefan Novinski, leans into the 1942 Pulitzer-winning play’s absurdity and its theme of repetitive human folly, starting with Donna Marquet’s busy set design.—
Manuel Mendoza,
Dallas Morning News,
19 Feb. 2026
Noun
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California’s Napa Valley is prized for its vineyard views and quiet country roads, which create a relaxed atmosphere that blends rural simplicity with polished sophistication.—
Demetrius Simms,
Robb Report,
24 Feb. 2026
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Ohtani shortened the name to Decoy for simplicity.—
Ryan Brennan,
Charlotte Observer,
24 Feb. 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
Noun
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Unlike its sibling concepts of dumbness and idiocy, stupidity isn’t really a personality trait.—
Jonny Thomson,
Big Think,
11 Feb. 2026
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Harry and Finis refused to play Jack Donahoe’s game of commenting on every idiocy that came across their desks.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
27 Jan. 2026
Noun
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There was no foolishness tolerated from him and, of course, Magic, his lieutenant.—
Broderick Turner,
Los Angeles Times,
22 Feb. 2026
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Don’t be afraid of the foolishness.—
Selome Hailu,
Variety,
21 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Folly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/folly. Accessed 1 Mar. 2026.
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