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Synonym Chooser

How is the word foolish different from other adjectives like it?

Some common synonyms of foolish are asinine, fatuous, silly, and simple. While all these words mean "actually or apparently deficient in intelligence," foolish implies the character of being or seeming unable to use judgment, discretion, or good sense.

foolish stunts

Where would asinine be a reasonable alternative to foolish?

The words asinine and foolish are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, asinine suggests utter and contemptible failure to use normal rationality or perception.

an asinine plot

When could fatuous be used to replace foolish?

The words fatuous and foolish can be used in similar contexts, but fatuous implies foolishness, inanity, and disregard of reality.

fatuous conspiracy theories

When is it sensible to use silly instead of foolish?

Although the words silly and foolish have much in common, silly suggests failure to act as a rational being especially by ridiculous behavior.

the silly antics of revelers

When is simple a more appropriate choice than foolish?

The meanings of simple and foolish largely overlap; however, simple implies a degree of intelligence inadequate to cope with anything complex or involving mental effort.

considered people simple who had trouble with computers

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of foolish Misiorowski had made Edman look foolish in their first matchup, getting the infielder to swing through a wicked curveball. Fabian Ardaya, New York Times, 17 Oct. 2025 Orús and Lizaso believe that the AI arms race is foolish. Vivienne Walt, Fortune, 9 Oct. 2025 This place belongs to the Carver, a deranged butcher who hunts anything foolish enough to enter. Meredith G. White, AZCentral.com, 25 Sep. 2025 France had been humiliated in 1871 by Prussia in a foolish war of its own making, and Dreyfus, accused of passing military secrets to the Germans, was a convenient scapegoat in a time of national malaise. Ian Buruma, New Yorker, 22 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for foolish
Recent Examples of Synonyms for foolish
Adjective
  • And that’s a stupid, dumb, mindless question.
    Lisa Gutierrez, Kansas City Star, 25 Oct. 2025
  • Dessert Week is the stupidest week, at least conceptually.
    Brian Moylan, Vulture, 24 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • The accusation felt absurd, like calling a chihuahua a wolf.
    Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 30 Oct. 2025
  • In the film, which Woo wrote and directed, Stevie (Jolie Hoang-Rappaport) and her little brother Elliot (Elias Janssen) journey into the wildly absurd landscape of their own dreams to ask the Sandman to grant them the perfect family.
    Matt Grobar, Deadline, 29 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • Add the ginger during the last minute of cooking, then transfer the mixture to a small bowl and set aside.
    Elizabeth Fogarty, Better Homes & Gardens, 28 Oct. 2025
  • Martin knocked on the hunter’s small tent.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 28 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • Go through a corn maze, sip on apple cider, and take silly pictures with the cardboard cutouts.
    Kylie Petty, Better Homes & Gardens, 25 Oct. 2025
  • This separation keeps parents' Discover Weekly and Wrapped playlists clean from unexpected surprises like a sudden obsession with gaming soundtracks or silly meme songs.
    Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 24 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • As travelers crave experiences over ordinary stays, hotels that have transformed grim to glam are now embracing their bizarre and sometimes haunted histories, even hosting weddings and wellness retreats.
    Deirdre Bardolf, FOXNews.com, 25 Oct. 2025
  • But things take a bizarre turn when her son, Simón (Roger Príncep), goes missing.
    Steven Thrash, Entertainment Weekly, 25 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • Many of them see it as a serious sign of lack of compatibility, rather than a minor difference in opinion.
    Suzanne Blake, MSNBC Newsweek, 27 Oct. 2025
  • Given the gale force NE'rly winds some minor soundside coastal flooding (up to 1-2 ft) may also occur starting with the Tue afternoon high tide cycle as well.
    NC Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 27 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • After 55 years based in Munich, ISPO, one of the world’s largest sporting goods trade fairs and an annual fixture in the sports-mad German city, is moving out.
    Cathrin Schaer, Footwear News, 28 Oct. 2025
  • Elordi's version of the mad scientist's monster boasts pale skin covered in scars, an alarming absence of eyebrows, and ratty dark hair extending past his shoulders.
    Wesley Stenzel, Entertainment Weekly, 25 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • The sanity phase of his trial began Thursday to determine whether Nicholson was legally insane at the time of the murders.
    Stepheny Price, FOXNews.com, 23 Oct. 2025
  • This lockdown is insane & disturbing with what happened during our investigation.
    Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 22 Oct. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Foolish.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/foolish. Accessed 31 Oct. 2025.

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