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.
Babb had been foolish, these critics argued, but it wasn’t his call to come down so hard on Gamble with a criminal prosecution.
From Slate • May 4, 2026
The risk, if I had to pick one, is appearing foolish to others in my orbit, including my children, or embarrassing them when we are out together in public.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 18, 2026
The envelope contained £100 in £20 notes, and was signed: "A former foolish student."
From BBC • Mar. 24, 2026
Go through the account activity together, framing it as a routine check rather than accusing him of being foolish or incompetent.
From MarketWatch • Mar. 23, 2026
Celia said it’s brave that I “owned my goal,” but maybe it’s actually foolish.
From "Keeping Pace" by Laurie Morrison
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.
