1
as in tricked
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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in joked
to make jokes
an edgy comedian fooling with an appreciative college audience
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Recent Examples of fooled
Don't be fooled by an ocean that looks calm.
—
Ca Weather Bot, Sacbee.com, 7 Jan. 2026
Don't be fooled by the name, there's nothing murky about this southern-style soup.
—Lizzy Briskin, Better Homes & Gardens, 4 Jan. 2026
The Ducks also fooled Tech on special teams, executing a fake punt from their own 43 on fourth and 3.
—Kevin Sherrington
jan. 1, Dallas Morning News, 1 Jan. 2026
Don’t be fooled by their jaw-dropping price, the bottoms still boast an elevated look thanks to their on-trend barrel legs.
—Kyra Surgent, InStyle, 30 Dec. 2025
Lyrically, it’s cleverly charged with local Cuban slang and phrases, and describes a person who’s not impressed and can’t be fooled by fake people.
—Sigal Ratner-Arias, Billboard, 26 Dec. 2025
Harry Potter Hogwarts Castle and Grounds Model Don’t be fooled, this 2,660-piece Harry Potter Lego set is for grown-up Potterheads.
—Mia Huelsbeck, PEOPLE, 26 Dec. 2025
Who’s to say that every old person is necessarily being fooled by slop?
—Charlie Warzel, The Atlantic, 23 Dec. 2025
The officials were fooled, ruling it incomplete.
—The Athletic College Football Staff, New York Times, 9 Nov. 2025
Ca Weather Bot, Sacbee.com, 7 Jan. 2026
Don't be fooled by the name, there's nothing murky about this southern-style soup.
—Lizzy Briskin, Better Homes & Gardens, 4 Jan. 2026
The Ducks also fooled Tech on special teams, executing a fake punt from their own 43 on fourth and 3.
—Kevin Sherrington
jan. 1, Dallas Morning News, 1 Jan. 2026
Don’t be fooled by their jaw-dropping price, the bottoms still boast an elevated look thanks to their on-trend barrel legs.
—Kyra Surgent, InStyle, 30 Dec. 2025
Lyrically, it’s cleverly charged with local Cuban slang and phrases, and describes a person who’s not impressed and can’t be fooled by fake people.
—Sigal Ratner-Arias, Billboard, 26 Dec. 2025
Harry Potter Hogwarts Castle and Grounds Model Don’t be fooled, this 2,660-piece Harry Potter Lego set is for grown-up Potterheads.
—Mia Huelsbeck, PEOPLE, 26 Dec. 2025
Who’s to say that every old person is necessarily being fooled by slop?
—Charlie Warzel, The Atlantic, 23 Dec. 2025
The officials were fooled, ruling it incomplete.
—The Athletic College Football Staff, New York Times, 9 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fooled
Verb
-
And nobody likes to be tricked.—
Cynthia Littleton,
Variety,
6 Nov. 2025
-
What a treat to be tricked thusly.—
Bethy Squires,
Vulture,
31 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
After the couple handed Clarkson a paper with their vows and requested her to read it, the three-time Grammy Award winner joked that she wasn’t officially allowed to officiate.—
Ashley Hume,
FOXNews.com,
10 Nov. 2025
-
Doughnuts and coffees in hand, some of them joked about seeing each other look happy for the first time in weeks.—
Elliott Wenzler,
Denver Post,
8 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
In fact, the term itself was an epithet throughout the founding era, a way to describe ignorant and easily deceived popular majorities, perpetually vulnerable to demagogues.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
28 Oct. 2025
-
Of course someone like Denji would fall for it, and in a way, the desire to be deceived is actually an important aspect of romantic feelings.—
Billboard Japan,
Billboard,
27 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Fooled.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fooled. Accessed 8 Jan. 2026.
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