1
as in insanity
lack of good sense or judgment
the foolishness of going off to search for the fountain of youth
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in nonsense
language, behavior, or ideas that are absurd and contrary to good sense
couldn't listen to another second of their foolishness, so I told them to be quiet
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in stupidness
the quality or state of lacking intelligence or quickness of mind
you didn't fail the test because of any innate foolishness but because of a lack of preparation
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of foolishness
The country is full of businesspeople with the optimism, the daring, or the foolishness to try disrupting sectors.
—
Dan Wang, Foreign Affairs, 19 Aug. 2025
None of that store-brand foolishness.
—Lizz Schumer, People.com, 13 Aug. 2025
Such utter foolishness, by another blind leading the blind, liberal democrat.
—Dp Opinion, Denver Post, 10 June 2025
Much odder is that red states aren’t taking the blue states up on an arrangement that to some degree erects a fence around economic foolishness.
—John Tamny, Forbes.com, 7 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for foolishness
Dan Wang, Foreign Affairs, 19 Aug. 2025
None of that store-brand foolishness.
—Lizz Schumer, People.com, 13 Aug. 2025
Such utter foolishness, by another blind leading the blind, liberal democrat.
—Dp Opinion, Denver Post, 10 June 2025
Much odder is that red states aren’t taking the blue states up on an arrangement that to some degree erects a fence around economic foolishness.
—John Tamny, Forbes.com, 7 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for foolishness
Recent Examples of Synonyms for foolishness
Noun
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Following his arrest, Gein was charged with first-degree murder, but pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity.—
Elizabeth Yuko,
Rolling Stone,
1 Oct. 2025
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But beneath the insanity, there's real heart, pathos, and vulnerability.—
Jessica Wang,
Entertainment Weekly,
1 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Packers gonna Packers, but at least Doubs is clear of that nonsense.—
Jess Bryant,
New York Times,
2 Oct. 2025
-
Assembly Bill 325 is economically illiterate nonsense that attempts to ban the use of pricing algorithms that help businesses determine prices.—
The Editorial Board,
Oc Register,
29 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Against the backdrop of New York’s Hudson Valley, the film explores faith, madness, autonomy, and the fragile boundary between salvation and delusion.—
Greg Evans,
Deadline,
2 Oct. 2025
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There’s only madness at the bottom of that picture.—
Kate Colby
October 2,
Literary Hub,
2 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Its stupidity was entertaining, but its stupidity also freed me from having to think about it.—
Bilge Ebiri,
Vulture,
30 Sep. 2025
-
The only reason for this incessant stupidity?—
Erik Kain,
Forbes.com,
18 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Picture the thickness of each thread and of the intervals between them.—
Harmon Siegel,
Artforum,
1 Oct. 2025
-
Turn with thin metal spatula and continue to cook until light golden brown on other side, about 1-3 minutes, depending on thickness of fish.—
Cathy Thomas,
Oc Register,
30 Sep. 2025
Noun
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The pieces serve as grounding tools, a nod to simplicity in design but layered with weighty symbolism.—
Essence,
Essence,
1 Oct. 2025
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With its combination of simplicity, stability, and cost-efficiency, the kirigami parachute may soon find its place in both relief missions and advanced aerospace tests.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
1 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Even its most mean-spirited plotline, in which a married couple assemble a fake theater production to humiliate their ex-neighbor whose noisiness prompted them to move, is presented as more of a gentle exercise in silliness than anything truly vindictive.—
Christian Zilko,
IndieWire,
3 Oct. 2025
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In a throwback to the warts-and-all silliness of the family’s legendary MTV reality show, The Osbournes, Coming Home appears to lean into the domestic comedy of the Osbourne clan, opening with a jittery Ozzy begging Sharon to stop driving in a herky-jerky manner.—
Gil Kaufman,
Billboard,
1 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Ohio is another absurdity, used to describe something strange, weird, or cringey.—
Phaedra Trethan,
USA Today,
5 Oct. 2025
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The absurdity of the situation began to dawn on me, and a round of giggles began building inside.—
Lizz Schumer,
PEOPLE,
2 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Foolishness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/foolishness. Accessed 9 Oct. 2025.
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