1
as in insanity
lack of good sense or judgment
the foolishness of going off to search for the fountain of youth
Synonyms & Similar Words
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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
Navarro devoted a chapter to the seductive foolishness of protectionist trade policies.
—
Ian Parker, New Yorker, 22 Dec. 2025
The captain of the boat Zoë and Sarah came on watches them from afar, shaking his head at English foolishness.
—Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 3 Dec. 2025
For this exercise in bravery – foolishness might be the better word – we were rewarded with a few small perch in about four hours of fishing.
—Brad Dokken, Twin Cities, 22 Nov. 2025
Advertisement With apt timing, manner, and physicality, DiCaprio translates Bob’s foolishness into a dazzling comedic show.
—Robert Daniels, Time, 10 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for foolishness
Ian Parker, New Yorker, 22 Dec. 2025
The captain of the boat Zoë and Sarah came on watches them from afar, shaking his head at English foolishness.
—Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 3 Dec. 2025
For this exercise in bravery – foolishness might be the better word – we were rewarded with a few small perch in about four hours of fishing.
—Brad Dokken, Twin Cities, 22 Nov. 2025
Advertisement With apt timing, manner, and physicality, DiCaprio translates Bob’s foolishness into a dazzling comedic show.
—Robert Daniels, Time, 10 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for foolishness
Recent Examples of Synonyms for foolishness
Noun
-
The chaotic family life was cited when Cary Stayner pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity to the tourists’ murders; he was found mentally fit to stand trial.—
Bay Area News Group,
Mercury News,
4 May 2026
-
Call it a runner's high or insanity; the marathon takes just about everything a person can muster up physically and mentally.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
30 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
But anatomically speaking, this is absolute nonsense.—
Scott Travers,
Forbes.com,
15 May 2026
-
Travelers say they're done listening to the nonsense they've been fed.—
Christopher Elliott,
USA Today,
15 May 2026
Noun
-
Diaz’s face was split open by the end of the second round, the canvas looked like a crime scene and Perry stormed around the cage afterward, demanding a fight with Paul while fans stood on chairs trying to film the madness below them.—
Alejandro Avila OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
17 May 2026
-
My ideal version is bringing a book and eating my Mixue ice cream out there for twenty minutes before heading back into the madness.—
Shivani Vora,
Forbes.com,
17 May 2026
Noun
-
And not just because one of the leading contestants torched himself and his political livelihood in a bonfire of hubris and stupidity.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
10 May 2026
-
That men like Mark Zuckerberg and Elon Musk are entrusted with businesses of tectonic influence can be difficult to understand, but their cults of personality have been able to survive scrutiny, perhaps because the money itself is too imposing a firewall for their own stupidity to penetrate.—
Scott Tobias,
Vulture,
19 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
That’s a third of the thickness of the stones used in Color Blossom’s jewelry designs.—
Lily Templeton,
Footwear News,
15 May 2026
-
Let rest for 5 to 10 minutes depending on the thickness, giving the juices time to redistribute before cutting in.—
Katie Rosenhouse,
Southern Living,
15 May 2026
Noun
-
The challenge is staying true to its simplicity while expanding.—
Ellen Sheng,
CNBC,
19 May 2026
-
His advice for men starting from scratch is a model of French simplicity.—
Pooja Mistry,
Forbes.com,
18 May 2026
Noun
-
Every part of this song is high-energy silliness.—
Charlie Harding,
Vulture,
15 May 2026
-
Commentors, of course, had a mixed bag of reactions, ranging from arguing that Kelce is the Duchess of Delco to criticizing the governor's silliness.—
Kaitlyn McCormick,
USA Today,
28 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Unlike its sibling concepts of dumbness and idiocy, stupidity isn’t really a personality trait.—
Jonny Thomson,
Big Think,
11 Feb. 2026
-
Compare that to punk rock, which used dumbness as a tactic.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
14 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Foolishness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/foolishness. Accessed 21 May. 2026.
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