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
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2
as in joked
to make jokes
an edgy comedian fooling with an appreciative college audience
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Recent Examples of fooled
The throw is crafted with acrylic, but don’t be fooled by its price; the intricate, woven yarn resembles that of chenille, with a buttery-smooth texture that feels luxuriously soft to the touch.
—
Alicia Geigel, Southern Living, 4 Nov. 2025
Either way, somebody’s getting fooled.
—Austin Meek, New York Times, 2 Nov. 2025
Keep in mind that teams have been fooled before by tantalizing quarterback play in small sample sizes.
—Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 31 Oct. 2025
Don’t be fooled — career politicians have never supported independent redistricting.
—Neal Fornaciari, San Diego Union-Tribune, 28 Oct. 2025
The mellifluous voices carry a lovely, velvety texture, but don’t be fooled.
—David John Chávez, Mercury News, 28 Oct. 2025
Don’t be fooled, career politicians have never supported independent redistricting.
—Guest Commentary, Oc Register, 27 Oct. 2025
And don’t be fooled by spotless sheets.
—Stacey Leasca, Travel + Leisure, 27 Oct. 2025
Our members aren’t going to be fooled by PR spin.
—Mandy Taheri, MSNBC Newsweek, 26 Oct. 2025
Alicia Geigel, Southern Living, 4 Nov. 2025
Either way, somebody’s getting fooled.
—Austin Meek, New York Times, 2 Nov. 2025
Keep in mind that teams have been fooled before by tantalizing quarterback play in small sample sizes.
—Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 31 Oct. 2025
Don’t be fooled — career politicians have never supported independent redistricting.
—Neal Fornaciari, San Diego Union-Tribune, 28 Oct. 2025
The mellifluous voices carry a lovely, velvety texture, but don’t be fooled.
—David John Chávez, Mercury News, 28 Oct. 2025
Don’t be fooled, career politicians have never supported independent redistricting.
—Guest Commentary, Oc Register, 27 Oct. 2025
And don’t be fooled by spotless sheets.
—Stacey Leasca, Travel + Leisure, 27 Oct. 2025
Our members aren’t going to be fooled by PR spin.
—Mandy Taheri, MSNBC Newsweek, 26 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fooled
Verb
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This likely wouldn't be the first time a dog tricked someone into being locked in a kennel, given the sheer number of those who work closely with animals.—
Liz O'Connell,
MSNBC Newsweek,
30 Oct. 2025
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Halloween treats are as sweet as ever, but the rising costs of candy may make consumers feel tricked this year.—
Melinda Yao,
NBC news,
29 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Noting that the president was given a gold crown and beef patties with ketchup while in South Korea, Jost joked that the 79-year-old basically just had a Happy Meal with a toy.—
William Vaillancourt,
Rolling Stone,
2 Nov. 2025
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Lineman Eddy Pierre-Louis made a heart with his hands and held it high as his teammates waved and joked on their way into the stadium’s south tunnel, where super agent Jimmy Sexton stood waiting, too.—
David Ubben,
New York Times,
2 Nov. 2025
Verb
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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
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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 5 Nov. 2025.
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