1
as in insanity
a foolish act or idea
investing in that company now would be foolery
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in joking
wildly playful or mischievous behavior
let the kids have a little foolery once in a while
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Recent Examples of foolery
Eric Andre, Tyler the Creator and Machine Gun Kelly all drop by to participate in the Jack-foolery.
—
David Fear, Rolling Stone, 2 Feb. 2022
The whole of humanity doesn’t fit tidily into three acts, even assuming as much frame-breaking foolery as Wilder allows.
—New York Times, 25 Apr. 2022
Political pranking is traditionally thought of as benign foolery targeting the powerful.
—Stanislav Budnitsky, The Conversation, 19 Apr. 2022
Our magpie eyes will always be drawn to foolery and ephemera.
—Giles Hattersley, Vogue, 13 Dec. 2021
Once every ten years, the first of April assumes a far more significant importance than the annual sharing of April foolery.
—James Deutsch, Smithsonian Magazine, 15 Apr. 2020
All the organs of his body were working — bowels digesting food, skin renewing itself, nails growing, tissues forming — all toiling away in solemn foolery.
—John Hirschauer, National Review, 17 Sep. 2019
In memory, during that long-ago evening on the edge of the woods, even my young children were drawn into its whirligig of shipwrecks, twins in disguise, misread letters, wise foolery and foolish wisdom.
—Edward Rothstein, WSJ, 11 July 2019
Elsewhere, the lack of physicality that muted the foolery also seemed a factor affecting many actors’ deliveries.
—Edward Rothstein, WSJ, 11 July 2019
David Fear, Rolling Stone, 2 Feb. 2022
The whole of humanity doesn’t fit tidily into three acts, even assuming as much frame-breaking foolery as Wilder allows.
—New York Times, 25 Apr. 2022
Political pranking is traditionally thought of as benign foolery targeting the powerful.
—Stanislav Budnitsky, The Conversation, 19 Apr. 2022
Our magpie eyes will always be drawn to foolery and ephemera.
—Giles Hattersley, Vogue, 13 Dec. 2021
Once every ten years, the first of April assumes a far more significant importance than the annual sharing of April foolery.
—James Deutsch, Smithsonian Magazine, 15 Apr. 2020
All the organs of his body were working — bowels digesting food, skin renewing itself, nails growing, tissues forming — all toiling away in solemn foolery.
—John Hirschauer, National Review, 17 Sep. 2019
In memory, during that long-ago evening on the edge of the woods, even my young children were drawn into its whirligig of shipwrecks, twins in disguise, misread letters, wise foolery and foolish wisdom.
—Edward Rothstein, WSJ, 11 July 2019
Elsewhere, the lack of physicality that muted the foolery also seemed a factor affecting many actors’ deliveries.
—Edward Rothstein, WSJ, 11 July 2019
Recent Examples of Synonyms for foolery
Noun
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If Laws is found not guilty by reason of insanity, she will be committed to a state hospital for an extended period, News4SA reports.—
KC Baker,
People.com,
3 Feb. 2025
-
Smearing myself with Max Factor blood and crawling around an Arab graveyard at five o’clock in the morning as the sun rose over the pyramids was absolute insanity.—
Bill Wyman,
Vulture,
30 Jan. 2025
Noun
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Another aspect to note is that the AI didn’t ridicule me or otherwise play any tomfoolery about my commentary.—
Lance Eliot,
Forbes,
23 Jan. 2025
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A little tomfoolery never hurt anybody, and there's been a lot between Pittsburgh Penguins' forward Sidney Crosby and Minnesota Wild Goalie Marc-Andre Fleury.—
Kevin Lynn,
Newsweek,
7 Jan. 2025
Noun
-
Many have judged both him and us based on accusations, conspiracy theories, and false narratives that have spiraled into absurdity on social media.—
Claudia Rosenbaum,
Vulture,
5 Feb. 2025
-
Trump has always trafficked in absurdity, but there was a time when his bombast at least had a strategic purpose.—
Thomas G. Moukawsher,
Newsweek,
5 Feb. 2025
Noun
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There are no gilded gates here, but there is one heck of a party, complete with serenading busts, ballroom dancers, excitable opera singers, drunken buffoonery and portraits locked in an endless duel.—
Todd Martens,
Los Angeles Times,
17 Jan. 2025
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What’s so special about Britain’s patron wanker of bighearted buffoonery?—
Joe Reid,
Vulture,
8 Jan. 2025
Noun
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This species of madness that infects the nation Airman Bushnell’s moral sacrifice disdains.—
Kary Love,
Twin Cities,
7 Feb. 2025
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But with a few notable exceptions, America’s business leaders were silent about the sheer madness of Trump’s launching a trade war without legitimate justification.—
Michael Hiltzik,
Los Angeles Times,
4 Feb. 2025
Noun
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And yes, there were cases on public roads where the horseplay turned dangerous.—
Mark Price,
Miami Herald,
22 Jan. 2025
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On my gondola, however, horseplay is not only encouraged, it is required.—
Frederick Dreier,
Outside Online,
24 Sep. 2024
Noun
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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
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The Winx Club live action is a big clownery!—
Olivia Truffaut-Wong,
refinery29.com,
25 Jan. 2021
Noun
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Ani’s fight for their relationship, which turns literal at times, is alternately slapstick and touching.—
Scott Tobias,
New York Times,
23 Jan. 2025
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Starring Keke Palmer and SZA, the film's mashup of Hollywood and music royalty forms the backdrop for a buddy comedy that borrows from a long tradition of side-by-side slapstick flicks.—
Anna Kaufman,
USA TODAY,
22 Jan. 2025
Thesaurus Entries Near foolery
Cite this Entry
“Foolery.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/foolery. Accessed 21 Feb. 2025.
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