foolish
adjective
fool·ish ˈfü-lish 
1
: having or showing a lack of good sense, judgment, or discretion
a foolish mistake
She takes foolish risks.
2
a
: absurd, ridiculous
He looked foolish in that hat.
b
: marked by a loss of composure : nonplussed
He felt foolish when he couldn't remember where he had parked the car.
3
: insignificant, trifling
foolishly adverb
Synonyms
- absurd
- asinine
- balmy
- brainless
- bubbleheaded
- cockeyed
- crackpot
- crazy
- cuckoo
- daffy
- daft
- dippy
- dotty
- fatuous
- featherheaded
- fool
- half-baked
- harebrained
- half-witted
- inept
- insane
- jerky
- kooky
- kookie
- loony
- looney
- lunatic
- lunkheaded
- mad
- nonsensical
- nutty
- preposterous
- sappy
- screwball
- senseless
- silly
- simpleminded
- stupid
- tomfool
- unwise
- wacky
- whacky
- weak-minded
- witless
- zany
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
He was wearing a foolish grin. She's been taking foolish risks. Those flashy clothes make her look foolish. She must feel foolish wearing those flashy clothes. I never thought you'd be foolish enough to believe him.
Recent Examples on the Web Naturally, Trump and his lawyers are not quite so foolish enough to argue this in so many words. 
Matt Ford, The New Republic, 6 Sep. 2022 Colescott’s importance as an artist is also ensured by his lasting influence on other artists, few if any of whom are so foolish or bold as to imitate him directly. Philip Kennicott, Washington Post, 18 Aug. 2022 The community wields a financial influence that the entertainment industry would be foolish to dismiss. Caroline Casey, Fortune, 2 Aug. 2022 One said that the company would have been foolish not to do so. Aaron C. Davis, Rick Noack And Douglas Macmillan, Anchorage Daily News, 10 July 2022 Even after Mike warns him that this guy is a reckless amateur who will endanger anyone foolish enough to work with him — advice Mike ultimately, and fatally, fails to take for himself — Saul can’t let go of the idea. Alan Sepinwall, Rolling Stone, 2 Aug. 2022 Texas and its conservative allies aren’t foolish enough to try to overturn these basic First Amendment principles. Matt Ford, The New Republic, 1 June 2022 Nobody would be foolish enough to consider Rutgers a men’s basketball powerhouse, but Pikiell has led the program to new heights. Chris Bumbaca, USA TODAY, 11 Mar. 2022 The ones who are foolish enough to post about their lives on social media. WSJ, 19 Oct. 2021 See More
Matt Ford, The New Republic, 6 Sep. 2022 Colescott’s importance as an artist is also ensured by his lasting influence on other artists, few if any of whom are so foolish or bold as to imitate him directly. Philip Kennicott, Washington Post, 18 Aug. 2022 The community wields a financial influence that the entertainment industry would be foolish to dismiss. Caroline Casey, Fortune, 2 Aug. 2022 One said that the company would have been foolish not to do so. Aaron C. Davis, Rick Noack And Douglas Macmillan, Anchorage Daily News, 10 July 2022 Even after Mike warns him that this guy is a reckless amateur who will endanger anyone foolish enough to work with him — advice Mike ultimately, and fatally, fails to take for himself — Saul can’t let go of the idea. Alan Sepinwall, Rolling Stone, 2 Aug. 2022 Texas and its conservative allies aren’t foolish enough to try to overturn these basic First Amendment principles. Matt Ford, The New Republic, 1 June 2022 Nobody would be foolish enough to consider Rutgers a men’s basketball powerhouse, but Pikiell has led the program to new heights. Chris Bumbaca, USA TODAY, 11 Mar. 2022 The ones who are foolish enough to post about their lives on social media. WSJ, 19 Oct. 2021 See More Word History
Etymology
see fool entry 1
First Known Use
13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Phrases Containing foolish
Kids Definition
foolish
adjective
fool·ish ˈfü-lish
: showing or resulting from lack of good sense
a foolish man
a foolish choice
foolish
adjective
1
as in stupid
showing or marked by a lack of good sense or judgment foolish people who thought that the world would end in the year 2000 a foolish scheme that was supposed to make us all rich Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- stupid
- silly
- absurd
- mad
- crazy
- idiotic
- fool
- insane
- dumb
- irrational
- unwise
- lunatic
- ridiculous
- daft
- unreasonable
- fatuous
- weak
- simple
- simpleminded
- asinine
- preposterous
- senseless
- nonsensical
- witless
- inept
- harebrained
- loony
- brainless
- zany
- dippy
- slow
- tomfool
- wacky
- nutty
- unreasoning
- idiotical
- moronic
- crackpot
- daffy
- screwball
- kooky
- thoughtless
- looney
- cuckoo
- dotty
- sappy
- weak-minded
- whacky
- half-witted
- cockeyed
- jerky
- clueless
- illogical
- imbecile
- half-baked
- unintelligent
- bubbleheaded
- lunkheaded
- unreasoned
- doltish
- obtuse
- dunderheaded
- thickheaded
- dopey
- ludicrous
- fallacious
- kookie
- vacuous
- featherheaded
- pinheaded
- dull
- balmy
- feebleminded
- laughable
- mindless
- softheaded
- out to lunch
- dim
- airheaded
- invalid
- oafish
- lamebrain
- dorky
- unsound
- dense
- farcical
- imbecilic
- dim-witted
- gormless
- empty-headed
- soft
- clownish
- opaque
- knuckleheaded
- chuckleheaded
- surd
- nonrational
- thick
- buffoonish
- brain-dead
- slow-witted
- lamebrained
- dopy
- unconsidered
- birdbrained
- chowderheaded
- boobish
- ill-advised
- notional
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- wise
- prudent
- sensible
- sagacious
- sound
- sane
- smart
- judicious
- intelligent
- clever
- reasonable
- sage
- bright
- logical
- rational
- valid
- sapient
- brainy
- well-advised
2
as in absurd
conceived or made without regard for reason or reality foolish attempts to construct a perpetual motion machine Synonyms & Similar Words
- absurd
- bizarre
- insane
- unreal
- crazy
- strange
- fanciful
- ridiculous
- preposterous
- nonsensical
- wild
- fantastical
- fantastic
- curious
- grotesque
- incredible
- funny
- inconceivable
- weird
- odd
- implausible
- peculiar
- unthinkable
- unbelievable
- extravagant
- ludicrous
- unimaginable
- eccentric
- outlandish
- laughable
- off the wall
- farcical
- wacky
- quirky
- quaint
- screwy
- outré
- whacky
- kooky
- queer
- surreal
- kinky
- nightmarish
- bizarro
- way-out
- kookie
- queerish
- dreamlike
- far-out
- out-of-the-way
- Alice-in-Wonderland
- Kafkaesque
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- reasonable
- realistic
3
as in small
lacking importance the current regulations are cluttered with foolish details that are unnecessarily burdensome Synonyms & Similar Words
- small
- minor
- worthless
- little
- frivolous
- trivial
- unimportant
- slight
- trifling
- insignificant
- petty
- inconsequential
- nugatory
- inconsiderable
- negligible
- fiddling
- incidental
- small-fry
- minute
- neither here nor there
- Mickey Mouse
- obscure
- jerkwater
- unknown
- anonymous
- nickel-and-dime
- small-time
- one-horse
- uncelebrated
- paltry
- nameless
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- important
- significant
- meaningful
- big
- major
- fatal
- substantial
- momentous
- decisive
- consequential
- eventful
- weighty
- worthy
- valuable
- worthwhile
- fateful
- dominant
- impressive
- remarkable
- chief
- overbearing
- material
- unfrivolous
- outstanding
- prominent
- great
- overriding
- principal
- exceptional
- distinctive
- eminent
- distinguished
- illustrious
- overmastering
- famous
- basic
- fundamental
- notorious
- essential
- prestigious
- key
- renowned
- preeminent
- all-important
Synonym Chooser
Some common synonyms of foolish are asinine, fatuous, silly, and simple. While all these words mean "actually or apparently deficient in intelligence," foolish implies the character of being or seeming unable to use judgment, discretion, or good sense.
foolish stunts
The words asinine and foolish are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, asinine suggests utter and contemptible failure to use normal rationality or perception.
an asinine plot
The words fatuous and foolish can be used in similar contexts, but fatuous implies foolishness, inanity, and disregard of reality.
fatuous conspiracy theories
Although the words silly and foolish have much in common, silly suggests failure to act as a rational being especially by ridiculous behavior.
the silly antics of revelers
The meanings of simple and foolish largely overlap; however, simple implies a degree of intelligence inadequate to cope with anything complex or involving mental effort.
considered people simple who had trouble with computers
- suffraganship
- suffraganships
- suffrage
- suffrages
- suffragette
- suffragettes
- suffragettism
- suffragettisms
- suffragism
- suffragisms
- suffragist
- suffragists
- suffrago
- suffrutescent
- suffrutexes
- suffrutices
- suffruticose
- suffruticous
- suffruticulose
- suffs
- suffumigate
- suffumigated
- suffumigates
- suffumigating
- suffumigation