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
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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 foolishness of the governor’s gibe was underscored by the progressive, staunchly anti-Trump Democratic mayor of San Jose.
—
U T Editorial Board, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 Sep. 2025
So, with this progressive effort hitting the trifecta of foolishness, hypocrisy, and dishonesty, how could there possibly be a silver lining?
—Jon Coupal, Oc Register, 24 Aug. 2025
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
See All Example Sentences for foolishness
U T Editorial Board, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 Sep. 2025
So, with this progressive effort hitting the trifecta of foolishness, hypocrisy, and dishonesty, how could there possibly be a silver lining?
—Jon Coupal, Oc Register, 24 Aug. 2025
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
See All Example Sentences for foolishness
Recent Examples of Synonyms for foolishness
Noun
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She was found not guilty by reason of insanity in 2006 and was placed in a maximum-security psychiatric center in Texas, where she's resided ever since.—
Emily Blackwood,
PEOPLE,
10 Jan. 2026
-
In addition, only 26% of defendants raising the insanity defense were found not guilty by reason of insanity.—
Martha Ross,
Mercury News,
9 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Crucially, the eggs were fittingly fluffy, none of that rubbery nonsense that plague lesser burrito slingers.—
Brock Keeling,
Oc Register,
6 Nov. 2025
-
All’s Fair is girlboss nonsense.—
Roxana Hadadi,
Vulture,
5 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
But there was some method to the madness here, as UConn, which didn’t take a free throw in the first half, took 18 in the second half and OT.—
Dom Amore,
Hartford Courant,
8 Jan. 2026
-
Ditlevsen writes beautifully, and her sly and specific humor always manages to both undercut and deepen the madness and love in all of her books.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
6 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
So please excuse my ignorance and stupidity here, but.—
Outside Online,
Outside Online,
17 Dec. 2025
-
That’s how stupidity often is—causing problems, but also presenting opportunities.—
Joshua Rothman,
New Yorker,
5 Dec. 2025
Noun
-
Their midweight thickness offers enough cushion for miles of walking through the streets of New York City, without causing sweat.—
Ali Faccenda,
PEOPLE,
8 Jan. 2026
-
The thickness of this layer causes light interference effects, giving the fabric a vivid purple appearance similar to the colors seen in soap bubbles.—
Prabhat Ranjan Mishra,
Interesting Engineering,
5 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Behind the classy presentation is a working-class spirit, one that honors the simplicity of showing up, being yourself and doing your job.—
Marcus Thompson II,
New York Times,
10 Jan. 2026
-
The rover’s two-wheel design reflects UEL’s emphasis on surface mobility and system simplicity.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
9 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
While there are some moments of excessive silliness, the filmmaker mainly finds the proper balance throughout, resulting in a winning movie that should satisfy a fairly wide age group.—
Frank Scheck,
HollywoodReporter,
7 Nov. 2025
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The silliness of this analysis could at least be matched by a silliness in tone.—
Alison Herman,
Variety,
6 Nov. 2025
Noun
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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 11 Jan. 2026.
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