Definitions

foolish

[foo-lish] / ˈfu lɪʃ /

ADJECTIVE

nonsensical, idiotic

Synonyms

STRONGEST

absurd crazy fantastic ill-advised insane irrational ludicrous preposterous ridiculous silly stupid unreasonable unwise

WEAK

asinine brainless cockamamy daffy daft dippy doltish dotty fatuous feebleminded half-baked half-witted harebrained ill-considered imbecilic imprudent incautious indiscreet injudicious jerky kooky loony lunatic mad moronic nutty senseless short-sighted simple unintelligent wacky weak witless zany

Antonyms

STRONGEST

balanced logical plain practical rational realistic reasonable responsible sane sensible serious smart sound wise

WEAK

careful cautious circumspect prudent thoughtful unfoolish

Usage

What are other ways to say foolish? The adjective foolish implies a lack of common sense or good judgment or, sometimes, a weakness of mind: a foolish decision; The child seems foolish. Fatuous implies being not only foolish, dull, and vacant in mind, but complacent and highly self-satisfied as well: fatuous and self-important; fatuous answers. Silly denotes extreme and conspicuous foolishness; it may also refer to pointlessness of jokes, remarks, etc.: silly and senseless behavior; a perfectly silly statement. Inane applies to silliness that is notably lacking in content, sense, or point: inane questions that leave one with no reply. Stupid implies natural slowness or dullness of intellect, or, sometimes, a benumbed or dazed state of mind; it is also used to mean foolish or silly: He was rendered stupid by a blow; It is stupid to do such a thing. Asinine originally meant like an ass; it applies to witlessly stupid conversations or conduct and suggests a lack of social grace or perception: He failed to notice the reaction to his asinine remarks.

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.

"I was foolish to spend time with him. I was one of many people who regret ever knowing him," he said.

From BBC • Jun. 10, 2026

Would it be foolish to sell $10,000 in stock to visit my grandchildren in Thailand?

From MarketWatch • Jun. 3, 2026

At the risk of sounding foolish — this is an hour-long, family-friendly streaming film after all — Travolta’s debut is a remarkable insight into an artist’s psyche.

From Salon • Jun. 2, 2026

“To try and sidestep Rubio while he is secretary of state is downright foolish and bound to backfire,” said Rick Herrero, the executive director of the Cuba Study Group, a Washington-based policy and advocacy group.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 16, 2026

Feeling slightly foolish, he tiptoed down the stairs.

From "Jeremy Thatcher, Dragon Hatcher" by Bruce Coville

foolish

Usage

Example Sentences

Vocabulary lists containing foolish

Negative Words to Describe People

Florida's B.E.S.T. Common Suffixes: -ish

"The Open Window" and "One in a Million"

foolish

Usage

Example Sentences

Related Words

Vocabulary lists containing foolish

Negative Words to Describe People

Florida's B.E.S.T. Common Suffixes: -ish

"The Open Window" and "One in a Million"