1
as in stupid
showing or marked by a lack of good sense or judgment
foolish people who thought that the world would end in the year 2000 a foolish scheme that was supposed to make us all rich
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in absurd
conceived or made without regard for reason or reality
foolish attempts to construct a perpetual motion machine
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in small
lacking importance
the current regulations are cluttered with foolish details that are unnecessarily burdensome
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of foolish
Some thought the move was foolish.
—
Alex Zietlow,
Charlotte Observer,
25 June 2026
Goalkeeper Jordan Pickford later raced outside his box to confront Caleb Yirenkyi, one of those brave and foolish moments that could, on another day, have yielded a red card.
—
James Horncastle,
New York Times,
24 June 2026
An indeterminate end to a foolish war leaves Americans more disillusioned than ever with engagement in the Middle East.
—
Thomas Wright,
The Atlantic,
19 June 2026
Meanwhile, Aaron Boone stood by with the same type of facial expression a father makes when their kid does something foolish.
—
Gary Phillips,
New York Daily News,
19 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for foolish
Alex Zietlow,
Charlotte Observer,
25 June 2026
Goalkeeper Jordan Pickford later raced outside his box to confront Caleb Yirenkyi, one of those brave and foolish moments that could, on another day, have yielded a red card.
—
James Horncastle,
New York Times,
24 June 2026
An indeterminate end to a foolish war leaves Americans more disillusioned than ever with engagement in the Middle East.
—
Thomas Wright,
The Atlantic,
19 June 2026
Meanwhile, Aaron Boone stood by with the same type of facial expression a father makes when their kid does something foolish.
—
Gary Phillips,
New York Daily News,
19 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for foolish
Recent Examples of Synonyms for foolish
Adjective
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But even the most perfect Constitution can be undone by the wicked with the help of the bought, the stupid, and the cowardly.
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White can believe Hokit said something stupid and still believe fighters should be allowed to speak for themselves.
Adjective
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Blending historical facts and patriotic myths, the works offer a vibrant, playful and sometimes absurd look at events like the signing of the Declaration of Independence and Washington crossing the Delaware.
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As tensions rise and panic sets in, the sisters are forced into a painful and increasingly absurd fight for survival before the homeowner returns.
Adjective
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Name the worry out loud, then choose a small boundary that protects your energy, such as turning off notifications during a demanding task.
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People milled about clutching small rainbow flags from the human rights organization Outright International.
Adjective
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Over the years, the visuals dramatically improve, from snuff film aesthetics to confidently silly splendor.
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The Alexa smart assistant is as good as ever, with tons of useful and silly skills, along with deep integration for ordering items via Amazon.
Adjective
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When Aaron Paul’s Jeff attempts to make a suspicious deposit, the bank teller (a game Nina Dobrev) demands to be in on the deal, in the sort of neo-noir twist that could suggest a rich film world populated with bizarre freaks of all stripes.
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In the canon of DC Comics, Comet is truly a bizarre character.
Adjective
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Messi had been dealing with a minor hamstring injury with Inter Miami that slowed him in the lead-up to the World Cup.
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Nearly four-fifths of respondents said that gas prices present some sort of strain, with 34% categorizing it as a major strain and 44% calling it a minor strain.
Adjective
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Or that Penélope Cruz’s sultry chilliness would jibe with either her male counterparts or Wilde’s diary-of-a-mad-housewife interpretation of a brittle, eager-to-impress woman brimming with creative frustration.
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Are Nationals fans still mad at Bryce Harper for leaving?
Adjective
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The Lenovo ThinkBook 16 Gen 8 laptop shows up ready to work with a snappy Intel Core Ultra 7 processor, insane 32GB of RAM, and spacious 2TB SSD in its (figurative) briefcase.
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Eventually, though, Lestat breaks, coming clean about his tumultuous past with first lover Nicolas de Lenfent (Joseph Potter), who went insane after being attacked by Armand (Assad Zaman) in Paris in the late 18th century.
Cite this Entry
“Foolish.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/foolish. Accessed 30 Jun. 2026.
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