1
as in insanity
a foolish act or idea
investing in that company now would be foolery
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in joking
wildly playful or mischievous behavior
let the kids have a little foolery once in a while
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of foolery
Jeffrey Jones played Principal Ed Rooney, Ferris' nemesis, who is dead set on catching Bueller in his foolery, but ultimately fails at his mission.
—
Emma Urdangen,
PEOPLE,
14 June 2026
One way to stop this proliferation of deep-fake nudity is to prosecute the offenders and make examples that such foolery has consequences.
—
Charles Selle,
Chicago Tribune,
20 Apr. 2026
Lane didn't stop the foolery there, though.
—
Lauren Huff,
Entertainment Weekly,
27 Jan. 2026
The whole of humanity doesn’t fit tidily into three acts, even assuming as much frame-breaking foolery as Wilder allows.
—
New York Times,
25 Apr. 2022
Political pranking is traditionally thought of as benign foolery targeting the powerful.
—
Stanislav Budnitsky,
The Conversation,
19 Apr. 2022
Eric Andre, Tyler the Creator and Machine Gun Kelly all drop by to participate in the Jack-foolery.
—
David Fear,
Rolling Stone,
2 Feb. 2022
Our magpie eyes will always be drawn to foolery and ephemera.
—
Giles Hattersley,
Vogue,
13 Dec. 2021
Once every ten years, the first of April assumes a far more significant importance than the annual sharing of April foolery.
—
James Deutsch,
Smithsonian Magazine,
15 Apr. 2020
Emma Urdangen,
PEOPLE,
14 June 2026
One way to stop this proliferation of deep-fake nudity is to prosecute the offenders and make examples that such foolery has consequences.
—
Charles Selle,
Chicago Tribune,
20 Apr. 2026
Lane didn't stop the foolery there, though.
—
Lauren Huff,
Entertainment Weekly,
27 Jan. 2026
The whole of humanity doesn’t fit tidily into three acts, even assuming as much frame-breaking foolery as Wilder allows.
—
New York Times,
25 Apr. 2022
Political pranking is traditionally thought of as benign foolery targeting the powerful.
—
Stanislav Budnitsky,
The Conversation,
19 Apr. 2022
Eric Andre, Tyler the Creator and Machine Gun Kelly all drop by to participate in the Jack-foolery.
—
David Fear,
Rolling Stone,
2 Feb. 2022
Our magpie eyes will always be drawn to foolery and ephemera.
—
Giles Hattersley,
Vogue,
13 Dec. 2021
Once every ten years, the first of April assumes a far more significant importance than the annual sharing of April foolery.
—
James Deutsch,
Smithsonian Magazine,
15 Apr. 2020
Recent Examples of Synonyms for foolery
Noun
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Piggott was found not guilty by reason of insanity in a trial held a year later.
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Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier is calling for the impeachment of the Miami-Dade judge who acquitted a woman by reason of insanity in the 2021 death of her 15-month-old daughter, arguing the ruling threatens public safety.
Noun
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Oh, but the Padres manager was ready with the joking last night.
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Still, Yoon’s joking somehow lightens the mood.
Noun
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That’s the level of idiocy in the Los Angeles city government.
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The idiocy of these people knows no bounds.
Noun
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The project has been plagued by technical issues, supplier disputes, and alleged tomfoolery—empty mini tequila bottles were reportedly discovered on one of the airplanes under construction.
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The latest tomfoolery consisted of a posting on Twitter/X last week that provided a picture of a genuine Monet painting, and the picture was labeled as supposedly being AI-generated.
Noun
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Brooks also taught Wilder how to take something funny, push it all the way to the point of absurdity, then keep going.
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The second lady is perhaps the most interesting figure in Trumpworld right now, and certainly the only one who understands the absurdity of it all.
Noun
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The show, with its interest in corporate buffoonery, doesn’t quite manage to hand-wave away the queasy implications.
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Receivers have cratered seasons with me-over-we buffoonery.
Noun
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Is this just a salary dump, or is there a method to the madness for the Wolves?
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Welcome to the Amazon Prime Day 2026 madness!
Noun
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The clowning might be a little too effortful.
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As the race unfolds in real time, there’s clowning, collisions, sabotage, surprises, comedy, chaos and more.
Cite this Entry
“Foolery.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/foolery. Accessed 30 Jun. 2026.
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