foolish

[foo-lish]

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR foolish ON THESAURUS.COM

adjective

resulting from or showing a lack of sense; ill-considered; unwise: a foolish action, a foolish speech.

lacking forethought or caution.

trifling, insignificant, or paltry.

Origin of foolish

First recorded in 1250–1300, foolish is from the Middle English word folish, foolish. See fool¹, -ish¹

Related formsfool·ish·ly, adverbfool·ish·ness, nouno·ver·fool·ish, adjectiveo·ver·fool·ish·ly, adverbo·ver·fool·ish·ness, nounqua·si-fool·ish, adjectivequa·si-fool·ish·ly, adverbun·fool·ish, adjectiveun·fool·ish·ly, adverbun·fool·ish·ness, noun

Synonyms for foolish

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR foolish ON THESAURUS.COM

1, 2. senseless, vacant, vapid, simple, witless. Foolish, fatuous, silly, inane, stupid, asinine imply weakness of intellect and lack of judgment. Foolish implies lack of common sense or good judgment or, sometimes, weakness of mind: a foolish decision; The child seems foolish. Fatuous implies being not only foolish, dull, and vacant in mind, but complacent and highly self-satisfied as well: fatuous and self-important; fatuous answers. Silly denotes extreme and conspicuous foolishness; it may also refer to pointlessness of jokes, remarks, etc.: silly and senseless behavior; a perfectly silly statement. Inane applies to silliness that is notably lacking in content, sense, or point: inane questions that leave one no reply. Stupid implies natural slowness or dullness of intellect, or, sometimes, a benumbed or dazed state of mind; it is also used to mean foolish or silly: well-meaning but stupid; rendered stupid by a blow; It is stupid to do such a thing. Asinine originally meant like an ass; it applies to witlessly stupid conversation or conduct and suggests a lack of social grace or perception: He failed to notice the reaction to his asinine remarks. 1. imprudent, unreasonable, foolhardy, irrational; thoughtless, nonsensical, ridiculous, absurd, pointless, preposterous.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Related Words for foolish

insane, crazy, stupid, irrational, fantastic, ludicrous, unreasonable, preposterous, ridiculous, silly, absurd, unwise, ill-advised, asinine, brainless, daffy, daft, dotty, fatuous, feebleminded

Examples from the Web for foolish

Contemporary Examples of foolish

Sweden explores new frontiers in our misguided, foolish, pointless obsession with rating and censoring entertainment.
The Insane Swedish Plan to Rate Games for Sexism
Nick Gillespie
November 20, 2014
One strip, Foolish Grandpa and Sour Henry, shows Grandpa being hit on the head by a sandbag and blown up by dynamite.
The Magazine That Made—and Unmade—Politicians
Anthony Haden-Guest
November 2, 2014
McConnell did what he did in 2005, and he was foolish enough to boast about it in public less than two weeks before an election.
Hooray for Liberal Fear-Mongering!
Michael Tomasky
October 28, 2014
The only thing these “tests” reveal is a window into the foolish psyche of whomever applies them.
Ex-NFL Linebacker: We Talk Around Race, Not About It
Carl Banks
October 23, 2014
How foolish to ask what is the best education for one or seven or sixty million souls!
College Must Be More Than Just a Classy Trade School
Michael S. Roth
August 30, 2014

Historical Examples of foolish

Your brother was foolish enough to leave his boat in Rushton's care.
Brave and Bold
Horatio Alger
Only a foolish optimist can deny the dark realities of the moment.
United States Presidents' Inaugural Speeches
Various
Jeff cleared his throat and looked about with foolish importance.
Way of the Lawless
Max Brand
But God must be able to let them know what foolish creatures they are, majie!
Weighed and Wanting
George MacDonald
Above all, shun the snares of women, for they are ever set for the foolish feet of the young.
The White Company
Arthur Conan Doyle

British Dictionary definitions for foolish

foolish

adjective

unwise; silly

resulting from folly or stupidity

ridiculous or absurd; not worthy of consideration

weak-minded; simple

an archaic word for insignificant

Derived Formsfoolishly, adverbfoolishness, noun

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for foolish

adj.

early 14c., from fool (n.) + -ish. Related: Foolishly; foolishness. Old English words for this were dysig, stunt, dol.

Idioms and Phrases with foolish

foolish

see penny wise and pound foolish.