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
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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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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of folly
This folly—which Iran has sternly warned against—is immoral, unjustified, and unlawful.
—
Amira El-Fekki, MSNBC Newsweek, 2 Sep. 2025
As such, the soufflé has long served as a kind of culinary metaphor for highly skilled folly, something nutritionally inconsequential, fleeting, but nevertheless a testimony to its creator’s craftsmanship.
—Leila Latif, IndieWire, 31 Aug. 2025
Just as the Kremlin sought to quell dissent against its vicious campaign in the restive republic, so, too, has a deafening silence accompanied its Ukraine folly.
—Christopher Vourlias, Variety, 31 Aug. 2025
Asimov's original idea was to conceive a sound system by which humanity's foibles and follies could be traced and tracked over centuries.
—Jeff Spry, Space.com, 29 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for folly
Amira El-Fekki, MSNBC Newsweek, 2 Sep. 2025
As such, the soufflé has long served as a kind of culinary metaphor for highly skilled folly, something nutritionally inconsequential, fleeting, but nevertheless a testimony to its creator’s craftsmanship.
—Leila Latif, IndieWire, 31 Aug. 2025
Just as the Kremlin sought to quell dissent against its vicious campaign in the restive republic, so, too, has a deafening silence accompanied its Ukraine folly.
—Christopher Vourlias, Variety, 31 Aug. 2025
Asimov's original idea was to conceive a sound system by which humanity's foibles and follies could be traced and tracked over centuries.
—Jeff Spry, Space.com, 29 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for folly
Recent Examples of Synonyms for folly
Noun
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Following his arrest, Gein was charged with first-degree murder, but pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity.—
Elizabeth Yuko,
Rolling Stone,
1 Oct. 2025
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But beneath the insanity, there's real heart, pathos, and vulnerability.—
Jessica Wang,
Entertainment Weekly,
1 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Against the backdrop of New York’s Hudson Valley, the film explores faith, madness, autonomy, and the fragile boundary between salvation and delusion.—
Greg Evans,
Deadline,
2 Oct. 2025
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There’s only madness at the bottom of that picture.—
Kate Colby
October 2,
Literary Hub,
2 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Packers gonna Packers, but at least Doubs is clear of that nonsense.—
Jess Bryant,
New York Times,
2 Oct. 2025
-
Assembly Bill 325 is economically illiterate nonsense that attempts to ban the use of pricing algorithms that help businesses determine prices.—
The Editorial Board,
Oc Register,
29 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Ohio is another absurdity, used to describe something strange, weird, or cringey.—
Phaedra Trethan,
USA Today,
5 Oct. 2025
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The absurdity of the situation began to dawn on me, and a round of giggles began building inside.—
Lizz Schumer,
PEOPLE,
2 Oct. 2025
Noun
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The pieces serve as grounding tools, a nod to simplicity in design but layered with weighty symbolism.—
Essence,
Essence,
1 Oct. 2025
-
With its combination of simplicity, stability, and cost-efficiency, the kirigami parachute may soon find its place in both relief missions and advanced aerospace tests.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
1 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Its stupidity was entertaining, but its stupidity also freed me from having to think about it.—
Bilge Ebiri,
Vulture,
30 Sep. 2025
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The only reason for this incessant stupidity?—
Erik Kain,
Forbes.com,
18 Sep. 2025
Noun
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But my naivete and idiocy about what this was going to take was staggering to me just six months later.—
Scott Feinberg,
HollywoodReporter,
19 Aug. 2025
Noun
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Yet for all of his stoned foolishness, Bob has clearly imparted a real distrust of authority to his kid.—
David Sims,
The Atlantic,
18 Sep. 2025
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Not so much by her response as by my own foolishness.—
Rachel Kushner,
New Yorker,
14 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Folly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/folly. Accessed 7 Oct. 2025.
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