follies

NOUN

nonsense, ridiculous idea

Synonyms

STRONGEST

absurdity craziness foolishness idiocy indiscretion lunacy madness recklessness silliness stupidity

STRONG

daftness fatuity imbecility impracticality imprudence inadvisability inanity irrationality obliquity rashness senselessness triviality unsoundness vice

WEAK

dottiness dumb thing to do dumb trick preposterousness witlessness

Antonyms

STRONGEST

care carefulness intelligence sense

WEAK

judgment knowledge seriousness understanding wisdom

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.

See Examples For:

follies

In an essay for this year's Proms programme, he admitted that some of the genre's "excesses and follies can seem silly" to a modern eye, while insisting the genre shouldn't be written off.

From BBC ● Apr. 20, 2026

People forget about past follies, either by choice and/or because they’re distracted by the next shiny thing.

From MarketWatch ● Feb. 6, 2026

More aggressive fine print restrains other follies like the bond portfolio mismatches that undid California-based Silicon Valley Bank two years ago, says Davide Oneglia, director of European and global macro at TS Lombard.

From Barron's ● Oct. 25, 2025

Amid follies aplenty, gold has doubled in the past two years.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 18, 2025

The follies and failures of Aegon the Unworthy did not concern him, but he was full of doubts and misgivings.

From "A Dance with Dragons" by George R. R. Martin