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
After Fuqua does interesting work sowing seeds of folly amid the star’s glorious rise, the movie gives up and turns to total sanctification.
—
Spencer Kornhaber, The Atlantic, 24 Apr. 2026
Major networks passed on the stunt because the outcome was unpredictable, a decision that proved its folly when about 30 million viewers tuned in to see the opening, which revealed a mostly empty room containing only debris and a few empty bottles.
—Angela Andaloro, PEOPLE, 22 Apr. 2026
Man’s folly of fiascos is a feast for the flies.
—Kory Grow, Rolling Stone, 16 Apr. 2026
The folly of the ancient Roman emperors springs to mind here.
—Susan B. Glasser, New Yorker, 16 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for folly
Spencer Kornhaber, The Atlantic, 24 Apr. 2026
Major networks passed on the stunt because the outcome was unpredictable, a decision that proved its folly when about 30 million viewers tuned in to see the opening, which revealed a mostly empty room containing only debris and a few empty bottles.
—Angela Andaloro, PEOPLE, 22 Apr. 2026
Man’s folly of fiascos is a feast for the flies.
—Kory Grow, Rolling Stone, 16 Apr. 2026
The folly of the ancient Roman emperors springs to mind here.
—Susan B. Glasser, New Yorker, 16 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for folly
Recent Examples of Synonyms for folly
Noun
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The assassination attempt failed — and Hinckley was arrested, tried and found not guilty by reason of insanity in 1982.—
Kelsie Cairns,
FOXNews.com,
29 Apr. 2026
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His acquittal, which led to a public outcry, had an impact on the federal insanity defense — leading to a shift in the burden of proof.—
Katrina Kaufman,
CBS News,
28 Apr. 2026
Noun
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The priests argued that madness was a punishment from the gods and that healing came through repentance, along with sacrifices that helped maintain the temple’s operations.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
28 Apr. 2026
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The final round of fixtures on Saturday is going to be madness.—
Phil Hay,
New York Times,
27 Apr. 2026
Noun
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And Bianco’s rhetoric about forcing changes in state law enforcement — especially on immigration — without the cooperation of Democratic supermajorities in the Legislature is authoritarian nonsense.—
U T Editorial Board,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
8 May 2026
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There’s still all this nonsense about the temptation of the female body, and the need for nuns to shield themselves from prying eyes.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
7 May 2026
Noun
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As Akhavan speaks, the absurdity of reading the lilies as emblems of colonialism is impossible to ignore.—
Harrison Jacobs,
ARTnews.com,
6 May 2026
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Church went to the Holy Land in search of sublimity; Twain fastened on the absurdities of those determined to find it.—
Sebastian Smee,
New Yorker,
4 May 2026
Noun
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This was the most straightforward, efficient episode of the season, pleasurable in its simplicity, with only one gimmick (the to-go orders) that barely made a difference to the episode’s outcome.—
Roxana Hadadi,
Vulture,
28 Apr. 2026
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That simplicity is an advantage that baseball has over hockey, where everything moves so much faster and the plays don’t happen in discrete chunks.—
Sean McIndoe,
New York Times,
24 Apr. 2026
Noun
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That men like Mark Zuckerberg and Elon Musk are entrusted with businesses of tectonic influence can be difficult to understand, but their cults of personality have been able to survive scrutiny, perhaps because the money itself is too imposing a firewall for their own stupidity to penetrate.—
Scott Tobias,
Vulture,
19 Apr. 2026
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Eric Swalwell, a prominent Democratic House member and a front-runner in the race for California governor, had his political career blown up by allegations of degeneracy and abject stupidity.—
Michelle Cottle,
Mercury News,
16 Apr. 2026
Noun
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The idiocy of these people knows no bounds.—
Austin Perry OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
25 Apr. 2026
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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
Noun
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Still, foolishness can sometimes bring good results; there are good results here, and some less than good.—
Television Critic,
Los Angeles Times,
8 May 2026
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Jon Caramanica To stratify the 400-song catalog of Carole King, let alone choose her shiniest song, is an exercise in foolishness.—
New York Times,
New York Times,
28 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Folly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/folly. Accessed 12 May. 2026.
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