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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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of foolishness
The problem is not the companies but the system, whose foolishness is very clear to those, like me, who have spent decades abroad.
—
Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 17 Dec. 2024
The Lakers were, again, the Lakers — the version from early this season that made optimism seem nothing like foolishness.
—Dan Woike, Los Angeles Times, 16 Dec. 2024
For instance, there is only a tiny difference between stubbornness and perseverance or between courage and foolishness.
—Brendan Leonard, Outside Online, 21 Oct. 2024
There is a cacophony of foolishness being spouted by those advocating for the EV transition and by those denouncing it.
—IEEE Spectrum, 28 Mar. 2023
See All Example Sentences for foolishness
Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 17 Dec. 2024
The Lakers were, again, the Lakers — the version from early this season that made optimism seem nothing like foolishness.
—Dan Woike, Los Angeles Times, 16 Dec. 2024
For instance, there is only a tiny difference between stubbornness and perseverance or between courage and foolishness.
—Brendan Leonard, Outside Online, 21 Oct. 2024
There is a cacophony of foolishness being spouted by those advocating for the EV transition and by those denouncing it.
—IEEE Spectrum, 28 Mar. 2023
See All Example Sentences for foolishness
Recent Examples of Synonyms for foolishness
Noun
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The court ruled that although Elkins did kill her children, she was found not guilty by reason of insanity, the outlet and NBC10 Philadelphia reported.—
Becca Longmire,
People.com,
7 Apr. 2025
-
Superior Court Judge Guy P. Ryan ruled last week that Elkins did kill her children, but was not guilty by reason of insanity, the Ashbury Park Press reported.—
Landon Mion,
FOXNews.com,
7 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
Just ask anyone who's watched an AI confidently spit out nonsense—or worse.—
Bob Ras,
Forbes.com,
14 Apr. 2025
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While Drop, clocking in at an economical 93 minutes, may sound like fun and games, there’s something deeper and more human at its core than mindless nonsense.—
Fran Hoepfner,
Vulture,
8 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
From the foothills of the Berkshires arises a venerable strain of American madness, the poetry of hokum—the old weird America of medicine shows and travelling circuses and carnivals.—
Richard Brody,
New Yorker,
18 Apr. 2025
-
The chaos has Americans and the world wondering whether there’s a method behind the apparent madness.—
Laurent Belsie,
Christian Science Monitor,
16 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
Trump himself personifies stupidity’s essential feature — self-satisfaction, an inability to recognize the flaws in your thinking.—
David Brooks,
Mercury News,
16 Apr. 2025
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These deaths come on the heels of the equally bizarre and jarring death of Adult Lottie (Simone Kessell) which brings us to four adult survivors dead, though Adult Travis died offscreen (sparking a really fascinating mystery that ended in sheer stupidity and disappointment).—
Erik Kain,
Forbes.com,
5 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
The iPhone 17 Air is rumored to measure around 5.5mm in thickness.—
Prakhar Khanna,
Forbes.com,
13 Apr. 2025
-
Quilted or padded cloth playmats range in thickness between 0.2 and 0.8 inches.—
BestReviews,
Mercury News,
11 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
The simplicity of his resting place follows the express request made by Francis in his will.—
Fatima Al-Kassab,
NPR,
25 Apr. 2025
-
Asawa’s own words posted throughout the exhibit reflect the simplicity of her genius.—
Robert Taylor,
Mercury News,
22 Apr. 2025
Noun
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Within the film’s glittering absurdity, Langlois shows us how easily the monster that was fame and fandom could turn on women like Mimi and Billie.—
Manuel Betancourt,
Variety,
25 Apr. 2025
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Based in Brooklyn, the studio will focus on stories that go inside the fringe to capture the absurdity of modern American life.—
Matt Grobar,
Deadline,
21 Apr. 2025
Noun
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Use it to find and retrieve stray nuts or bolts in any crevice.—
Nora Colomer,
FOXNews.com,
30 Mar. 2025
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Without that pollination, almond trees produce only 200 pounds of nuts per acre.—
Kerry Breen,
CBS News,
29 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Foolishness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/foolishness. Accessed 30 Apr. 2025.
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