fool 1 of 3

Definition of foolnext
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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

3 of 3

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
Texans, on the whole, have broadly negative feelings about Democrats, and trying to win over Cornyn supporters may end up being a fool’s errand. Rachel Monroe, New Yorker, 20 May 2026 Trying to control such speech or sanitize any possibility of offense, disagreement, or discomfort, will be a fool’s errand in a diverse democracy. Michael T. Nietzel, Forbes.com, 18 May 2026
Verb
Don’t be fooled by its straightforward overview of Short’s rise to showbiz mainstay through his eccentric, vaudevillian brand of comedy. Maira Garcia, Los Angeles Times, 22 May 2026 Don’t let that fool you, though. Kaitlyn McInnis, Forbes.com, 22 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for fool
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fool
Noun
  • Mark Hamill has been a lunatic for years now.
    Zach Dean OutKick, FOXNews.com, 8 May 2026
  • To get a sentence like that in a communist, radically left-wing city of liberal lunatics is truly amazing.
    Voice of the People, New York Daily News, 29 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • The woman’s one visible breast is, surprisingly, nearly flat, but her nipple is round and oversized and rosy, like a Christmas-tree ornament or a clown’s rubber nose.
    Naomi Fry, New Yorker, 23 May 2026
  • Someone dressed up as a clown and made balloon animals for kids at the shelter.
    Pauline Bartolone, NPR, 23 May 2026
Noun
  • Democratic states have typically done this, but now that’s a sucker’s game.
    Steven Greenhut, Oc Register, 15 May 2026
  • That makes students who play by the rules feel like suckers.
    Rose Horowitch, The Atlantic, 12 May 2026
Adjective
  • Let’s face it, life is full of foolish decisions.
    Jay Weissberg, Variety, 14 May 2026
  • Trump previously said his administration would have been foolish not to accept it.
    Trevor Hughes, USA Today, 8 May 2026
Verb
  • The strategists also warned a thin market, suddenly being moved by a large trader, can deceive the market’s outcome.
    Ananya Chetia, CNBC, 25 May 2026
  • In 2023, Newsom announced California's landmark lawsuit against major oil companies, accusing them of deceiving the public about climate change and linking fossil fuel emissions to worsening heat waves, droughts and devastating wildfires.
    Kenny Choi, CBS News, 23 May 2026
Verb
  • Others joked about returning to the Catholic Church after a lifetime of agnosticism and atheism.
    Dani Di Placido, Forbes.com, 26 May 2026
  • At SoxFest in January, Martin joked about having the longest tenure of any Sox player.
    Paul Sullivan, Chicago Tribune, 24 May 2026
Noun
  • Common Pests and Diseases Broccoli plants can be damaged by common insect pests, like caterpillars, aphids, flea beetles, and harlequin bugs, says Minter.
    Blythe Copeland, Martha Stewart, 28 Apr. 2026
  • For brassicas, watch for cabbage worms, flea beetles, and harlequin bugs.
    Anthony Reardon, Kansas City Star, 20 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • But a pandemic-era program is helping to keep it afloat as inflation worsens, while also aiming to create a new generation of seafood lovers.
    Joe Hernandez, NPR, 23 May 2026
  • Our country may be heading into tougher economic times, but these music lovers plan to face them with brand new BottleRock hats on their heads, glasses of merlot in their hands and earfuls of the Backstreet Boys and Slightly Stoopid.
    Jim Harrington, Mercury News, 23 May 2026

Cite this Entry

“Fool.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fool. Accessed 28 May. 2026.

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