1
as in lunatic
a person who lacks good sense or judgment
only a fool would attempt to climb that mountain unprepared
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in clown
a person formerly kept in a royal or noble household to amuse with jests and pranks
a king's fool could get away with saying things that others in the palace couldn't
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in sucker
a person with a strong and habitual liking for something
I'm a fool for ice cream
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in foolish
showing or marked by a lack of good sense or judgment
he's always got some fool plan or other
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in to deceive
to cause to believe what is untrue
I fooled him into thinking that we were driving to the store, not to his surprise birthday party
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to joke
to make jokes
an edgy comedian fooling with an appreciative college audience
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of fool
Brian Truitt, USA Today, 4 Mar. 2026
Don't let the simple name of this recipe fool you—this casserole is surprisingly complex.
—Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 3 Mar. 2026
Kyra Surgent, InStyle, 7 Mar. 2026
In the winter, the blast of hot air coming out of your supply ducts would fool the thermostat, telling it that the room is warm enough when, in fact, there is still cold air in the room.
—Tim Carter, Hartford Courant, 6 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for fool
Noun
And don't let the Dorothy Hamill haircut fool you.
—Brian Truitt, USA Today, 4 Mar. 2026
Don't let the simple name of this recipe fool you—this casserole is surprisingly complex.
—Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 3 Mar. 2026
Verb
Don’t be fooled by their jaw-dripping price; the flats boast a luxe look thanks to their low profile and—of course—glove silhouette.
—Kyra Surgent, InStyle, 7 Mar. 2026
In the winter, the blast of hot air coming out of your supply ducts would fool the thermostat, telling it that the room is warm enough when, in fact, there is still cold air in the room.
—Tim Carter, Hartford Courant, 6 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for fool
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fool
Noun
-
Even then, though, the popular take — the story of the lunatics taking over asylum — didn’t sit right with me.—
Paul Fischer,
HollywoodReporter,
13 Feb. 2026
-
Beating these lunatics was incredible, right?—
Joey Garrison,
USA Today,
5 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Noem was the public face of that disapproval, strutting forward with arrogance in the face of public censure, a veritable clown show of ineptitude.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
6 Mar. 2026
-
How did clowns become a protest symbol?—
Janet W. Lee,
NPR,
5 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Her character, the beloved nurse Dana, threatened to quit after she was sucker-punched by a patient during her smoke break.—
Sam Reed,
Glamour,
6 Mar. 2026
-
Removing suckers that appear at the base of the tree and damaged, dead, or diseased wood is important.—
Mary Marlowe Leverette,
Southern Living,
5 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
But asking a 30-year-old with balky legs to carry this burden is dangerous, if not foolish.—
Troy Renck,
Denver Post,
5 Mar. 2026
-
Shitposting, Topinka explains, makes good-faith engagement impossible and critics look foolish because the shitposter is plausibly joking.—
Malavika Kannan,
Vulture,
3 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Defamation, which refers to a false statement of fact that is reputationally damaging, and false light, which is a technically true statement but is presented in a highly deceiving fashion, are other possible legal actions.—
Michael McCann,
Sportico.com,
9 Mar. 2026
-
Looks, too, can be deceiving for those not on the grounds.—
Douglas Robson,
Los Angeles Times,
7 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
He’s joked about me having stolen his glam look.—
Philip Potempa,
Chicago Tribune,
4 Mar. 2026
-
Shitposting, Topinka explains, makes good-faith engagement impossible and critics look foolish because the shitposter is plausibly joking.—
Malavika Kannan,
Vulture,
3 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
If the Brits are anything to go by, feather boas and harlequin jumpsuits are out, and French-girl flats are in.—
Alice Newbold,
Vogue,
28 Feb. 2026
-
Rather than the usual crisscross pattern, Holmes’ sweater features solid block diamonds in bold colors for a harlequin look that is honestly a breath of fresh air.—
Elizabeth Logan,
Glamour,
27 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Her father describes his daughter as a lover of cooking and all things fashion.—
Terell Bailey,
CBS News,
7 Mar. 2026
-
In fact, a friend might become a lover.—
Georgia Nicols,
Denver Post,
7 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Fool.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fool. Accessed 12 Mar. 2026.
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