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 officials were fooled, ruling it incomplete.
—
The Athletic College Football Staff, New York Times, 9 Nov. 2025
The lead was brief as Andrei Svechnikov fooled Gustavsson with a low shot on the next shift.
—Jess Myers, Twin Cities, 7 Nov. 2025
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
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
The Athletic College Football Staff, New York Times, 9 Nov. 2025
The lead was brief as Andrei Svechnikov fooled Gustavsson with a low shot on the next shift.
—Jess Myers, Twin Cities, 7 Nov. 2025
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
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
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 25 Nov. 2025.
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