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
Also, don’t be fooled by the Big 12’s midpoint remaining basically unchanged.
—
Jason Kirk, New York Times, 18 Feb. 2026
Don't be fooled by false sunflower (Heliopsis helianthoides).
—Megan Hughes, Better Homes & Gardens, 17 Feb. 2026
Still, don’t be fooled by the light turnout.
—Alyssa Goldberg, USA Today, 14 Feb. 2026
Don’t be fooled by its budget-friendly price, the fragrance is right on par with Dior’s highly coveted J’Adore perfume.
—Kyra Surgent, InStyle, 10 Feb. 2026
These ads may not have fooled as many of us as their makers seemed to think.
—Steven Zeitchik, HollywoodReporter, 9 Feb. 2026
While everyone could be more easily fooled now, don’t be the one remembered for delivering bad intel.
—Tribune Content Agency, Baltimore Sun, 8 Feb. 2026
Don’t be fooled into believing that a temporary suspension of the resident parking fees is a good solution.
—Donna Frye, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 Feb. 2026
Photos show the stacks of cash were well disguised among other boxes in the trailer, but a drug-sniffing K-9 was not fooled, police said.
—Mark Price, Charlotte Observer, 5 Feb. 2026
Jason Kirk, New York Times, 18 Feb. 2026
Don't be fooled by false sunflower (Heliopsis helianthoides).
—Megan Hughes, Better Homes & Gardens, 17 Feb. 2026
Still, don’t be fooled by the light turnout.
—Alyssa Goldberg, USA Today, 14 Feb. 2026
Don’t be fooled by its budget-friendly price, the fragrance is right on par with Dior’s highly coveted J’Adore perfume.
—Kyra Surgent, InStyle, 10 Feb. 2026
These ads may not have fooled as many of us as their makers seemed to think.
—Steven Zeitchik, HollywoodReporter, 9 Feb. 2026
While everyone could be more easily fooled now, don’t be the one remembered for delivering bad intel.
—Tribune Content Agency, Baltimore Sun, 8 Feb. 2026
Don’t be fooled into believing that a temporary suspension of the resident parking fees is a good solution.
—Donna Frye, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 Feb. 2026
Photos show the stacks of cash were well disguised among other boxes in the trailer, but a drug-sniffing K-9 was not fooled, police said.
—Mark Price, Charlotte Observer, 5 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fooled
Verb
-
Even scam aware travelers are getting tricked.—
Evie Carrick,
Travel + Leisure,
23 Feb. 2026
-
Heathcliff has tricked Edgar’s sister, Isabella, into marrying him by pretending to love her.—
Becky Little,
Time,
13 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
There were a few speakers, including former longtime Star-Telegram columnist Bob Ray Sanders, who joked about being mistaken for Jackson on a few occasions.—
Kamal Morgan,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
20 Feb. 2026
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During his very first talk show appearance onThe Ellen Show that same year, Dane joked about the famous scene and the use of double-stick tape to an audience of screaming women, clearly enjoying the crowd's appreciative mewls and hollers.—
Jordan Hoffman,
Entertainment Weekly,
20 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
That misstatement surely deceived nobody.—
David Frum,
The Atlantic,
25 Feb. 2026
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The conservative-majority court agreed to take up a case from Boulder, Colorado, among a series of lawsuits alleging the companies deceived the public about how fossil fuels contribute to climate change.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
23 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Fooled.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fooled. Accessed 28 Feb. 2026.
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