foolishness

noun

fool·​ish·​ness ˈfü-lish-nəs 

1

: foolish behavior

2

: a foolish act or idea

Synonyms

• absurdity
• asininity
• balminess
• brainlessness
• craziness
• daftness
• dippiness
• dottiness
• fatuity
• fatuousness
• folly
• imbecility
• inanity
• insanity
• lunacy
• madness
• nonsensicalness
• nuttiness
• preposterousness
• senselessness
• silliness
• simplicity
• unwisdom
• wackiness
• witlessness
• zaniness

Examples of foolishness in a Sentence

the foolishness of going off to search for the fountain of youth

couldn't listen to another second of their foolishness, so I told them to be quiet

Recent Examples on the Web

Then after Tyla won Best International Artist, Henson ran through the calendar to recap a year in foolishness. —Bethy Squires, Vulture, 30 June 2024

On an international level, too..., one country’s climate response can easily leave another country impoverished, either through neglect, foolishness or outright malevolence. —Saima S. Iqbal, Scientific American, 24 Oct. 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

Occasionally, nonwhite characters appear to emphasize the depth of white people’s foolishness. —Elena Saavedra Buckley, The New Yorker, 19 Sep. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1