Synonyms for folly
ˈfɒl ifol·ly

English Synonyms and AntonymsRate these synonyms:3.0 / 1 vote

1. folly

   Idiocy is a state of mental unsoundness amounting almost or quite to total absence of understanding. Imbecility is a condition of mental weakness, which may or may not be as complete as that of idiocy, but is at least such as to incapacitate for the serious duties of life. Incapacity, or lack of legal qualification for certain acts, necessarily results from imbecility, but may also result from other causes, as from insanity or from age, sex, etc.; as, the incapacity of a minor to make a contract. Idiocy or imbecility is weakness of mind, while insanity is disorder or abnormal action of mind. Folly and foolishness denote a want of mental and often of moral balance. Fatuity is sometimes used as equivalent to idiocy, but more frequently signifies conceited and excessive foolishness or folly. Stupidity is dulness and slowness of mental action which may range all the way from lack of normal readiness to absolute imbecility. Compare INSANITY.

   Synonyms:
   fatuity, foolishness, idiocy, imbecility, incapacity, senselessness, stupidity

   Antonyms:
   acuteness, astuteness, brilliancy, capacity, common sense, intelligence, sagacity, sense, soundness, wisdom

Complete Dictionary of Synonyms and AntonymsRate these synonyms:0.0 / 0 votes

1. folly

   Synonyms:
   madness, nonsense, misconduct, imprudence, silliness, foolishness, weakness, absurdity, imbecility

   Antonyms:
   sense, wisdom, sanity, judgment, prudence, sobriety

Princeton's WordNetRate these synonyms:3.0 / 1 vote

1. folly, foolishness, unwisenessnoun

   the trait of acting stupidly or rashly

   Synonyms:
   lunacy, imbecility, madness, foolery, betise, tomfoolery, indulgence, unwiseness, foolishness, stupidity, craziness

   Antonyms:
   wiseness, wisdom

2. stupidity, betise, folly, foolishness, imbecilitynoun

   a stupid mistake

   Synonyms:
   lunacy, imbecility, madness, foolery, betise, tomfoolery, stupidity, indulgence, unwiseness, foolishness, craziness

   Antonyms:
   wisdom, wiseness

3. folly, foolishness, craziness, madnessnoun

   the quality of being rash and foolish

   "trying to drive through a blizzard is the height of folly"; "adjusting to an insane society is total foolishness"

   Synonyms:
   lunacy, foolishness, flakiness, fury, daftness, madness, rabidity, imbecility, stupidity, hydrophobia, rabidness, foolery, tomfoolery, lyssa, craziness, insaneness, indulgence, rage, rabies, unwiseness, betise

   Antonyms:
   wisdom, wiseness

4. folly, foolery, tomfoolery, craziness, lunacy, indulgencenoun

   foolish or senseless behavior

   Synonyms:
   lunacy, foolishness, flakiness, indulging, daftness, madness, lenience, pampering, stupidity, humoring, leniency, foolery, tomfoolery, self-indulgence, craziness, insaneness, indulgence, imbecility, unwiseness, betise

   Antonyms:
   wisdom, wiseness

Matched Categories

1. • Mistake
   • Play
   • Stupidity
   • Trait

Dictionary of English SynonymesRate these synonyms:0.0 / 0 votes

1. follynoun

   Synonyms:
   foolishness, imbecility, fatuity, stupidity, shallowness, dulness, doltishness

2. follynoun

   Synonyms:
   absurdity, extravagance, imprudence, nonsense, indiscretion, act of folly, foolish act

Synonyms, Antonyms & Associated WordsRate these synonyms:0.0 / 0 votes

1. follynoun

   Synonyms:
   foolishness, fatuity, indiscretion, unwisdom, absurdity, imprudence

PPDB, the paraphrase databaseRate these paraphrases:0.0 / 0 votes

1. List of paraphrases for "folly":

   madness, insanity, foolishness, lunacy, follies, craziness, stupidity, nonsense, thoughtlessness, crazy

Suggested Resources

1. folly

   Song lyrics by folly -- Explore a large variety of song lyrics performed by folly on the Lyrics.com website.

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How to use folly in a sentence?

1. Miguel de Cervantes:

   There is no greater folly in the world than for a man to despair.

2. John Comenius:

   To hate a man because he was born in another country, because he speaks a different language, or because he takes a different view of this subject or that, is a great folly. Desist, I implore you, for we are all equally human...Let us have but one end in view, the welfare of humanity.

3. Bernard Baumohl:

   The biggest folly is the belief that lowering interest rates by 25 or 50 bp will do anything to revive the economy, don't ask the Federal Reserve to bail out the economy, because they're not going to be able to do it this time.

4. John Quincy Adams:

   All men profess honesty as long as they can. To believe all men honest would be folly. To believe none so is something worse.

5. Benjamin Franklin:

   If you wouldst live long, live well, for folly and wickedness shorten life.