tomfoolery

American  

[tom-foo-luh-ree] / ˌtɒmˈfu lə ri /

noun

PLURAL

tomfooleries

1. foolish or silly behavior; tomfoolishness.

   Synonyms:

   monkeyshine, horseplay, silliness, foolishness

2. a silly act, matter, or thing.

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tomfoolery British  

/ ˌtɒmˈfuːlərɪ /

noun

1. foolish behaviour

2. utter nonsense; rubbish

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Etymology

Origin of tomfoolery

First recorded in 1805–15; tomfool + -ery

Example Sentences

That was a trick, right there — a bit of rhetorical tomfoolery to make you think the impassioned public testimony and the Oxford comma were connected.

From Seattle Times

With everything out there on the board for everyone to see, chess doesn’t really lend itself to quality April Fool’s tomfoolery.

From Washington Times

As owner of Design of the Times, Butler offers clients beautiful, wildlife-friendly gardens that don’t rely on “synthetic tomfoolery” for their success.

From Seattle Times

So keep an eye out for tomfoolery — we will, too.

From Salon

Nicolas Pepe gets an early chance to make amends for his tomfoolery at the weekend, keeping his place in an Arsenal side that has eight changes.

From The Guardian