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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
Katie Cloyd, Martha Stewart, 6 Jan. 2026
But shopping from retailers that stock a wide range of brands, honoring diverse budgets and aesthetics, is a fool-proof way of staying in the loop and having direct access to today’s buzziest fashion finds.
—Stacia Datskovska, Footwear News, 6 Jan. 2026
Jake Kanter, Deadline, 5 Jan. 2026
However, don’t let the synthetic fleece fool you.
—Bestreviews, Chicago Tribune, 2 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for fool
Noun
But don't let winter salt and slush fool you into thinking your favorite shoes are beyond help.
—Katie Cloyd, Martha Stewart, 6 Jan. 2026
But shopping from retailers that stock a wide range of brands, honoring diverse budgets and aesthetics, is a fool-proof way of staying in the loop and having direct access to today’s buzziest fashion finds.
—Stacia Datskovska, Footwear News, 6 Jan. 2026
Verb
Another film not in the top 10 is KPop Demon Hunters, but don’t let that fool you about the success of the Sony Pictures Animation title in the UK.
—Jake Kanter, Deadline, 5 Jan. 2026
However, don’t let the synthetic fleece fool you.
—Bestreviews, Chicago Tribune, 2 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for fool
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fool
Noun
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The lunatics who attacked the seat of government to try to change the outcome of a free and fair election are not patriots.—
Bill Goodykoontz,
AZCentral.com,
6 Jan. 2026
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Now, after Miami’s 34-10 win Sunday at the New York Jets, you are officially allowed to wonder aloud about wild-card playoff chances and be seen only as way optimistic rather than as a raving lunatic.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
7 Dec. 2025
Noun
-
Brewer depicts the world of music impersonators with a fair amount of affection, like the rodeo clowns of late 20th-century America.—
Peter Tonguette,
The Washington Examiner,
9 Jan. 2026
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Cirque du Soleil is known for its shows featuring acrobats, athletes and clowns – all doing spectacular feats.—
Brian Steinberg,
Variety,
8 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Trim all vertical limbs, commonly known as suckers.—
SJ McShane,
Martha Stewart,
10 Jan. 2026
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The multi-hyphenate is a sucker for chunky frames, and the Center Stage style from Peepers fits the bill.—
Annie Blackman,
InStyle,
6 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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House’s agenda is to get Cooper to reveal himself as secretly working against Vault-Tec for resistance leader Lee Moldaver (Sarita Choudhury), but Cooper isn’t that foolish.—
Roxana Hadadi,
Vulture,
14 Jan. 2026
-
The Giants would be foolish to pay Harbaugh a ton of money and then not take full advantage of his expertise in the science of winning.—
Ian O'Connor,
New York Times,
13 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Sextortion, a scheme where victims are deceived into sending online perpetrators explicit images and then blackmailed in exchange for money or additional graphic content, has affected thousands of teens in recent years and led to multiple suicide deaths.—
Clare Duffy,
CNN Money,
12 Jan. 2026
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Fortunately, the American public is much more informed and less likely to be deceived by the meat and dairy industry than in 1977.—
Reader Commentary,
Baltimore Sun,
11 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Chalamet joked as the camera cut to O'Leary applauding boisterously.—
Ryan Coleman,
Entertainment Weekly,
15 Jan. 2026
-
Legislators have privately joked about keeping prospective bill ideas in their desks, waiting for Polis’ successor to enter office before dusting them off.—
Nick Coltrain,
Denver Post,
14 Jan. 2026
Noun
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In these respects, apart from the harlequin excesses of his Stalinism, Cowley is terrifically sound.—
Vince Passaro,
Harpers Magazine,
30 Dec. 2025
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Speaking of South Africa, harlequin flower (Sparaxis tricolor) is another cormaceous plant from that part of the world.—
Joshua Siskin,
Oc Register,
25 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Social media only sees about five minutes of her day, but the book lover is all too aware of how some viewers piece together brief slices of life and call it a full picture.—
Zoey Lyttle,
PEOPLE,
14 Jan. 2026
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Arizona Big Buckle Shearling Leather Sandal This extra cozy take on the popular Arizona Sandal pairs an ultra-soft shearling lining with an oversized, elegant pin buckle that’s perfect for comfort lovers who still want to make a statement.—
Julia Morlino,
Travel + Leisure,
13 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Fool.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fool. Accessed 19 Jan. 2026.
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