foolish
Americanadjective
-
resulting from or showing a lack of sense; ill-considered: unwise.
a foolish action;
a foolish speech.
- Synonyms:
- thoughtless, imprudent, preposterous, nonsensical, absurd, ridiculous, unintelligent, senseless, brainless, witless, stupid
-
lacking forethought or caution.
- Synonyms:
- thoughtless, imprudent, incautious, heedless, half-baked, foolhardy, reckless, rash, impetuous
-
trifling, insignificant, or paltry.
adjective
-
unwise; silly
-
resulting from folly or stupidity
-
ridiculous or absurd; not worthy of consideration
-
weak-minded; simple
-
an archaic word for insignificant
Usage
What are other ways to say foolish? A foolish action is one that shows a lack of sense or is ill-considered. How is foolish different from fatuous, silly, inane, stupid, and asinine? Find out on Thesaurus.com.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of foolish
First recorded in 1250–1300; from Middle English folish, foolish; see fool 1, -ish 1
Explanation
Foolish people are silly or senseless, and when you do something foolish, it's clearly unwise or irrational. Sitting on the hood of a car while your friend is driving is a foolish thing to do. Things that show a lack of judgment are foolish, like cheating on a test or running into the street after a basketball. Foolish decisions at work can cost you your job, and foolish comments can hurt people's feelings. Foolish is a 14th century word that comes from fool, a person who's unwise. The Latin root, follis, means "bellows" or "leather bag." The "silly person" meaning comes from the figurative idea of a "windbag."
Vocabulary lists containing foolish
Negative Words to Describe People
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Florida's B.E.S.T. Common Suffixes: -ish
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"The Open Window" and "One in a Million"
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Setting aside the foolish contention that one’s personal actions have no bearing on one’s capacity for political leadership, people who treat women like garbage are not the only ones with good politics.
From Slate • Jul. 8, 2026
“It would be foolish to tell a family that they don’t have access to the pediatrician or the family doc.”
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 26, 2026
You would be foolish to bet against him scoring more, especially with Jordan to come and with Argentina already guaranteed a last-32 place.
From BBC • Jun. 22, 2026
I don’t think it’s just wrong, I think it’s tactically foolish.
From Salon • Jun. 22, 2026
And if not, then could Harry’s death have been more than just an awful coincidence, the result of a foolish choice to pickpocket the wrong man?
From "The City Beautiful" by Aden Polydoros
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
