Thesaurus.com
Dictionary.com
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.

“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

But the characters in here make such foolish decisions that they barely seem real either.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 9, 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

“It would be foolish to ignore the full distribution of geopolitical risk,” writes Philipp Carlsson-Szlezak, global chief economist at Boston Consulting Group.

From Barron's • Mar. 11, 2026

“Because, foolish girl,” she huffed, turning around from the fireplace with a devilish grin, “I am Madam Lucille herself.”

From "The Detective's Assistant" by Kate Hannigan

Vocabulary lists containing foolish

Negative Words to Describe People

Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!

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

Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!

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

Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!