fool 1 of 3

1
2
as in clown
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

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fool

2 of 3

adjective

fool

3 of 3

verb

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 fool
Noun
So, no, the Heat coach does not view hope amid this latest 1-6 run as a fool’s errand. Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 25 Feb. 2025 The uncertainty means that while there has been a degree of recovery in the TV market, planning too far ahead is a fool’s errand. Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 24 Feb. 2025
Verb
Don’t let the green mist tinged with white lightning and rotating cosmic orifices fool you, however: Ingesting psychedelic drugs is not recommended before watching this film. Katie Rife, IndieWire, 12 Mar. 2025 Related article Stop being fooled by misinformation. Julianna Bragg, CNN, 11 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for fool
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fool
Noun
  • In Eli Craig’s (Tucker & Dale vs Evil) newest outing, the real fun starts when Frendo the clown comes out to play.
    Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 6 Mar. 2025
  • She’s costumed like a clown, but her screenplay is as confident as an antihero’s cleverest heist.
    Amy Nicholson, Twin Cities, 1 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • Clip away suckers or small sprouts that are growing from the base of the tree.
    Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 13 Mar. 2025
  • Extended deterrence was a sham, and the people who relied on it were suckers.
    Gideon Rose, Foreign Affairs, 8 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • No matter what your feelings are about Sternberg and his executive team today, these are not foolish people.
    John Romano, Orlando Sentinel, 15 Mar. 2025
  • There's nothing foolish about choosing beauty over practicality if that's what your heart desires.
    PCMAG, PCMAG, 14 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • But appearances can be deceiving because there's a lot of bright side here.
    Shubham Yewale, PCMAG, 10 Mar. 2025
  • Trips down memory lane, especially when Star Wars video games are involved, can be deceiving.
    Fran Ruiz, Space.com, 7 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • The Saturday Night Live alum, 49, joked about taking on the real-life coaching role during the Friday, March 14 episode of the New Heights podcast with Jason and Travis Kelce.
    Rachel McRady, People.com, 14 Mar. 2025
  • Foley continued, again joking about the 1985 film Cocoon, about a group of seniors who become energized with youth after an encounter with aliens.
    EW.com, EW.com, 14 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • Once infused with the diabolical spirit, the guide is transformed into a buffoon, complete with a harlequin outfit—a mad joker and a dancing fool who does a little jig to the sound of a jazz trio.
    Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 11 Mar. 2025
  • But this harlequin moll can’t match Joker’s lunacy as either lawbreaker or musician.
    Armond White, National Review, 29 Nov. 2024
Noun
  • Despite his hardened outlook on Heis, Rema remains a lover at heart.
    Mankaprr Conteh, Rolling Stone, 14 Mar. 2025
  • Continue reading to learn more about the top cities for fine wine lovers, based on the Douglas Elliman Knight Frank Wealth Report.
    Madeline Fitzgerald, Quartz, 13 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • These psychopaths care more about enforcing DEI than saving lives!
    Khaleda Rahman, Newsweek, 14 Mar. 2025
  • Some of the more jarring sequences remain amusing despite their brashness: At one point, for example, Mickey narrates a shocking vignette—about a psychopath on Earth who printed multiple copies of himself to carry out grisly murders—with the resigned, wary tone of an office worker.
    Shirley Li, The Atlantic, 7 Mar. 2025

Cite this Entry

“Fool.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fool. Accessed 24 Mar. 2025.

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