folly

"Prolonging this parasitic relationship by trying to squeeze the last few drops of expensive oil out of the North Sea is sheer folly," Hopkinson said.

From BBC ● Aug. 4, 2026

When the entire forest appeared to be storming his stronghold, Macbeth realized his folly too late.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 30, 2026

Gold is the color of false idolatry, the material of gratuitous wealth, a hallmark of authoritarian style, and a metaphor for the folly of prioritizing personal enrichment and glory over everything else.

From Slate ● Jun. 11, 2026

Harbert believes the notion that the clips alone — which may feature a funny bit or a snapshot of a conversation with a guest — would help lure viewers to traditional TV was folly.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 21, 2026

My eventual folly, played out in a bar in East New York, was that I came to know the list intimately as my own, as if I alone had authored it.

From "Native Speaker" by Chang-rae Lee

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

From MarketWatch ● Feb. 6, 2026

The follies of the living were more than enough to keep him occupied.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 17, 2025

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

Agency veterans of the 9/11 era had recognized its follies and revamped the training in an effort to prevent similar intelligence failures in the future.

From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 11, 2023

The Men of Númenor were settled far and wide on the shores and seaward regions of the Great Lands, but for the most part they fell into evils and follies.

From "The Two Towers" by J. R. R. Tolkien