1
as in lunatics
a person who lacks good sense or judgment
only a fool would attempt to climb that mountain unprepared
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in clowns
a person formerly kept in a royal or noble household to amuse with jests and pranks
a king's fool could get away with saying things that others in the palace couldn't
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in suckers
a person with a strong and habitual liking for something
I'm a fool for ice cream
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in maniacs
a person having or showing a severely disordered or abnormal state of mind
he got out of serving in the army by successfully pretending to be a fool
Synonyms & Similar Words
1
as in tricks
to cause to believe what is untrue
I fooled him into thinking that we were driving to the store, not to his surprise birthday party
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in jokes
to make jokes
an edgy comedian fooling with an appreciative college audience
Synonyms & Similar Words
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 fools
Frank Rizzo, Variety, 13 Apr. 2026
McGinn sets high standards in training and during games and does not suffer fools.
—Jacob Tanswell, New York Times, 25 Mar. 2026
Antisemitism is the socialism of fools, right?
—Suzanne Schneider, The New York Review of Books, 25 Mar. 2026
Tim Heidecker and Eric Wareheim were among the first fools brave enough to go live-action on Adult Swim, setting the template for shows like Check It Out!
—Eric Vilas-Boas, Vulture, 18 Mar. 2026
Only fools would think differently.
—ABC News, 15 Mar. 2026
Sadly, OpenAI plays us for fools.
—Jim Cramer, CNBC, 8 Feb. 2026
Both James Cameron and Apple Studios have made fools of those who have discounted them, but the blockbuster director has just done so more often.
—Marcus Jones, IndieWire, 14 Jan. 2026
So our founder goes to the next best thing – friends, families and fools.
—Neil Senturia, San Diego Union-Tribune, 12 Jan. 2026
Jim Cramer, CNBC, 15 Feb. 2026
Noun
As Rose’s impoverished yet imperious mother Ruth, Parson’s dry deliveries offer great comic ballast to this ship of fools.
—Frank Rizzo, Variety, 13 Apr. 2026
McGinn sets high standards in training and during games and does not suffer fools.
—Jacob Tanswell, New York Times, 25 Mar. 2026
Antisemitism is the socialism of fools, right?
—Suzanne Schneider, The New York Review of Books, 25 Mar. 2026
Tim Heidecker and Eric Wareheim were among the first fools brave enough to go live-action on Adult Swim, setting the template for shows like Check It Out!
—Eric Vilas-Boas, Vulture, 18 Mar. 2026
Only fools would think differently.
—ABC News, 15 Mar. 2026
Sadly, OpenAI plays us for fools.
—Jim Cramer, CNBC, 8 Feb. 2026
Both James Cameron and Apple Studios have made fools of those who have discounted them, but the blockbuster director has just done so more often.
—Marcus Jones, IndieWire, 14 Jan. 2026
So our founder goes to the next best thing – friends, families and fools.
—Neil Senturia, San Diego Union-Tribune, 12 Jan. 2026
Verb
What fools these non-OpenAI mortals must be.
—Jim Cramer, CNBC, 15 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fools
Noun
-
To get a sentence like that in a communist, radically left-wing city of liberal lunatics is truly amazing.—
Voice of the People,
New York Daily News,
29 Apr. 2026
-
Secretary of State Marco Rubio wasn’t far behind, saying the war is being waged against religious lunatics.—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
25 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The four paintings are Joan Miró’s Composition (1953), Maurice Utrillo’s Maison de rendez-vous de chasse de Henri IV, rue Saint-Vincent, Montmartre (1934), Balthus’s Etude pour femme couchée (1948), and Pablo Picasso’s L’Ecuyere et les clowns (1961).—
Daniel Cassady,
ARTnews.com,
6 May 2026
-
Once completed, the $5 million acquisition will ensure the theater has a permanent home, a place where skateboarding clowns and leek-haired onions can continue to frolic and dance for decades to come.—
Todd Martens,
Los Angeles Times,
13 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Details such as the relatively few suckers on its arms, its smooth skin, beak features and the coloring around its organs and parts of the mantle indicated a new species, now called Microeledone galapagensis.—
Jeanna Bryner,
Scientific American,
24 May 2026
-
Trimming the suckers, from the first 2 feet above the ground, ensures the plant's energy is focused on the main vines and cucumbers, says Scott.—
SJ McShane,
Martha Stewart,
23 May 2026
Noun
-
Because Sidney Prescott, now Evans, exists only in relationship to Ghostface, the costume worn by many different knife-wielding maniacs over the years, starting with her high school boyfriend.—
Katie Walsh,
Twin Cities,
3 Mar. 2026
-
Because Sidney Prescott, now Evans, exists only in relationship to Ghostface, the costume worn by many different knife-wielding maniacs over the years, starting with her high school boyfriend.—
Katie Walsh,
Boston Herald,
27 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
One possible danger is a rogue network that tricks people into joining.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
22 Apr. 2026
-
San Diego startup Neomorph on Monday announced a new $100 million investment for its molecular glue that tricks cancer cells into self-destructing.—
Noelle Harff,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
13 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Diego Calva jokes that his mother, Lorena, almost had a heart attack when Brad Pitt called her by her name at the 2023 Golden Globes.—
Carlos Aguilar,
Los Angeles Times,
12 May 2026
-
However, when the team started winning, Hampton jokes that the coach quickly came around.—
Meredith Wilshere,
PEOPLE,
9 May 2026
Noun
-
Bring back one of Mama's favorite recipes that combines pasta, broccoli, grapes, and nuts all together.—
Krissy Tiglias,
Southern Living,
25 May 2026
-
Think of this snack as a daytime boost, rather than a bedtime send-off (for better sleep, try tart cherries and pistachio nuts).—
Randi Gollin,
Martha Stewart,
23 May 2026
Noun
-
That’s the beauty of wine from a region known for its duality; with ideal balance of soft tannins and fresh acidity, Alto Adige Pinot Nero offers lovers of the grape a world of choices.—
Mike DeSimone,
Robb Report,
24 May 2026
-
To get there, flower lovers should the Odakyu Line from Tokyo's Shinjuku Station to Odawara Station, then connect to the Hakone Tozan Railway in the country’s Kanagawa Prefecture, according to the Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO).—
Kristine Hansen,
Travel + Leisure,
24 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Fools.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fools. Accessed 27 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
