as in joking
wildly playful or mischievous behavior
the open bar may have had something to do with the tomfoolery at the wedding reception
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of tomfoolery
This prevalence, however, has led to widespread quality-control tomfoolery.
—
Brock Keeling, Oc Register, 6 Nov. 2025
There was nothing particularly frightening about their Viennese waltz, which was a nice change from all the creepy tomfoolery earlier in the night.
—Lynette Rice, Deadline, 28 Oct. 2025
Rite of passage or midnight tomfoolery?
—Jake Allen, IndyStar, 10 Sep. 2025
Last year, in response to some political parodies that used images created by artificial intelligence, including one that pilloried Vice President Kamala Harris, the Legislature passed and Newsom signed two measures to outlaw such tomfoolery.
—Dan Walters, Mercury News, 5 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for tomfoolery
Brock Keeling, Oc Register, 6 Nov. 2025
There was nothing particularly frightening about their Viennese waltz, which was a nice change from all the creepy tomfoolery earlier in the night.
—Lynette Rice, Deadline, 28 Oct. 2025
Rite of passage or midnight tomfoolery?
—Jake Allen, IndyStar, 10 Sep. 2025
Last year, in response to some political parodies that used images created by artificial intelligence, including one that pilloried Vice President Kamala Harris, the Legislature passed and Newsom signed two measures to outlaw such tomfoolery.
—Dan Walters, Mercury News, 5 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for tomfoolery
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tomfoolery
Noun
-
Sometimes a playful comment, an unexpected reply or a joking callout between brands takes on a life of its own online.—
Expert Panel®,
Forbes.com,
20 May 2026
-
Despite that underlying tension, kids play on the street outside while the large family has a dynamic like any other — noisily squabbling, joking, or in the case of the matriarchal grandmother, Mariam (Hiam Abbass), preparing a meal in a kitchen plagued by constant utility outages.—
David Rooney,
HollywoodReporter,
15 May 2026
Noun
-
The show, with its interest in corporate buffoonery, doesn’t quite manage to hand-wave away the queasy implications.—
Inkoo Kang,
New Yorker,
27 Mar. 2026
-
Receivers have cratered seasons with me-over-we buffoonery.—
Troy Renck,
Denver Post,
19 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The clowning might be a little too effortful.—
Theater Critic,
Los Angeles Times,
13 May 2026
-
As the race unfolds in real time, there’s clowning, collisions, sabotage, surprises, comedy, chaos and more.—
Pam Kragen,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
13 Apr. 2026
Noun
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After France’s 4-3 victory against Argentina at the 2018 World Cup in Russia, horseplay between the players at the team hotel culminated in back-up centre-back Adil Rami setting off a fire extinguisher in the early hours of the morning.—
Tom Williams,
New York Times,
17 May 2026
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Once, before the stabbing, Malik chased Yahkeim with a knife during horseplay.—
Grethel Aguila,
Miami Herald,
5 May 2026
Noun
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One way to stop this proliferation of deep-fake nudity is to prosecute the offenders and make examples that such foolery has consequences.—
Charles Selle,
Chicago Tribune,
20 Apr. 2026
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Lane didn't stop the foolery there, though.—
Lauren Huff,
Entertainment Weekly,
27 Jan. 2026
Noun
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As for Abdul-Mateen, the clownery will resume for him on Broadway.—
Jessica Wang,
EW.com,
1 Sep. 2022
-
Tirhakah Love is a senior writer at New York Magazine and the host of the new evening newsletter Dinner Party, a daily email that touches on all things entertainment — that means film, television, music, tech, and gaming — plus politics and corporate clownery.—
Vulture,
Vulture,
29 Apr. 2022
Noun
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The boys challenge each other to throw heavy objects, which leads to intense roughhousing.—
Carlos Aguilar,
Variety,
27 Jan. 2026
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The actor shared rare photos of the teen with his younger siblings, getting it in at the gym, hiking, and roughhousing.—
Elizabeth Ayoola,
Essence,
10 Nov. 2025
Noun
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An addictive blend of thriller and slapstick, this novel is an absorbing and quick read, or listen.—
The Know,
Denver Post,
31 May 2026
-
Domingo and Fey are even better, achieving an honest rapport that too many other dynamics lack, while Kenney-Silver arguably gets the juiciest arc, filled with showy slapstick and a challenge unique to sitcoms but relatable outside of them.—
Ben Travers,
IndieWire,
28 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Tomfoolery.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tomfoolery. Accessed 2 Jun. 2026.
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