fool 1 of 3

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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

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fool

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adjective

fool

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verb

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of fool
Noun
Related Articles Keeler: Nuggets-Thunder series was fool’s gold. Sean Keeler, Denver Post, 12 June 2025 In the new era, three tribes are predetermined, and more often than not, one tribe suffers fools and loses half of its members before the merge, leaving the other two tribes untouched. Meredith Wilshere, People.com, 9 June 2025
Verb
Male bees are fooled by these lookalikes and will attempt to copulate with them and, in doing so, will spread the pollen of the orchid. The San Diego Union Tribune, San Diego Union-Tribune, 14 June 2025 But don’t let the jokes fool you—this is high-level radio. Okla Jones, Essence, 9 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for fool
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fool
Noun
  • Also, this was not a good week for billionaires as a socialist Muslim won a long-shot victory in the NYC Democratic primary, partly on the promise to raise taxes among the highest income earners, and Amazon founder Jeff Bezos starred in a clown show wedding in Venice.
    Paul Bedard, The Washington Examiner, 28 June 2025
  • Ayanna Pressley, another blow-in-drifter (from Chicago), pole vaulted from the City Council clown show to the U.S. House.
    Howie Carr, Boston Herald, 25 June 2025
Noun
  • When my daughter and I are outside, these pesky blood suckers feast.
    Cheryl Fenton, Parents, 24 June 2025
  • Along the way, the administration recast the U.S. commitment to European security from a mutually beneficial partnership to a sucker’s game that enabled gluttonous free-riding at Americans’ expense.
    Gideon Rose, Foreign Affairs, 23 June 2025
Adjective
  • Making a prediction for Game 7 is obviously foolish.
    The Athletic NBA Staff, New York Times, 22 June 2025
  • This seems foolish since the U.S. has some 25-30% of the world’s coal, which is even more than China.
    Jude Clemente, Forbes.com, 16 June 2025
Verb
  • The person is not trying to deceive or control, but the behavior still affects others and requires self awareness and growth to correct.
    Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 27 June 2025
  • Where was this sense of urgency when the mullahs were attempting to deceive U.N. inspectors while sandbagging U.S. efforts to diplomatically scuttle the country’s nuclear efforts?
    Editorial, Boston Herald, 21 June 2025
Verb
  • Rocky joked, referencing the Hollywood family of 10 kids.
    Vivian Kwarm, New York Daily News, 30 June 2025
  • Taylor, never one to back down, fired back with a grin, joking about Jordan's retirement leisurewear.
    Devlina Sarkar, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 June 2025
Noun
  • Learn more about management options and which food plants are most susceptible to this insect in our harlequin bug on vegetables web page.
    Miri Talabac, Baltimore Sun, 16 Apr. 2025
  • Once infused with the diabolical spirit, the guide is transformed into a buffoon, complete with a harlequin outfit—a mad joker and a dancing fool who does a little jig to the sound of a jazz trio.
    Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 11 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • If Wrath of Khan is the gateway Star Trek film for sci-fi lovers, The Voyage Home is the gateway for everyone else.
    Chris Snellgrove, EW.com, 30 June 2025
  • Budget-Friendly: With ticket prices starting at $10 and capping around $125, plus free events and discounts for families, students, and university faculty, the festival caters to everyone—culturally curious families, art lovers, and budget travelers alike.
    Cameron Beall, Southern Living, 29 June 2025
Adjective
  • Mexican men were dismissed as violent Panchos and stupid Pedros.
    Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 24 June 2025
  • There’s more stupid romance around harder substances but few chemicals are more hazardous to ambition than THC.
    Benjamin Hale June 23, Literary Hub, 23 June 2025

Cite this Entry

“Fool.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fool. Accessed 5 Jul. 2025.

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