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.
That was exactly what I, and other young and foolish people, thought in 2000, at the tail end of the technology bubble.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 23, 2026
But belief can carry teams a long way and, given how Canada have surpassed expectations so far, it would be foolish to rule them out of causing an upset.
From BBC ● Jun. 29, 2026
“Obviously, this is a foolish violation of our Ceasefire Agreement,” the president wrote.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 26, 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
“As if I would do such a foolish thing,” Grandmother said.
From "A Girl Named Disaster" by Nancy Farmer
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.
