Synonyms for foolishness
fool·ish·ness

WiktionaryRate these synonyms:0.0 / 0 votes

1. foolishnessnoun

   Synonyms:
   stupidity, irresponsibility, imprudence, extravagance, folly, indiscretion, ridiculousness, absurdity

   Antonyms:
   wisdom

2. foolishnessnoun

   The state of being foolish.

   Synonyms:
   folly, ridiculousness, irresponsibility, indiscretion, absurdity, imprudence, extravagance, stupidity

   Antonyms:
   wisdom

3. foolishnessnoun

   A thing or event that is foolish, or an absurdity.

   Synonyms:
   absurdity, indiscretion, folly, ridiculousness, extravagance, imprudence, stupidity, irresponsibility

   Antonyms:
   wisdom

English Synonyms and AntonymsRate these synonyms:0.0 / 0 votes

1. foolishness

   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, folly, idiocy, imbecility, incapacity, senselessness, stupidity

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

Princeton's WordNetRate these synonyms:4.5 / 2 votes

1. folly, foolishness, unwisenessnoun

   the trait of acting stupidly or rashly

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

2. 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, flakiness, fury, daftness, madness, rabidity, imbecility, stupidity, hydrophobia, rabidness, foolery, tomfoolery, lyssa, folly, craziness, insaneness, indulgence, rage, rabies, unwiseness, betise

3. stupidity, betise, folly, foolishness, imbecilitynoun

   a stupid mistake

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

Matched Categories

1. • Mistake
   • Trait

Dictionary of English SynonymesRate these synonyms:0.0 / 0 votes

1. foolishnessnoun

   Synonyms:
   folly, silliness, imbecility, stupidity, fatuity, shallowness, dulness, doltishness

2. foolishnessnoun

   Synonyms:
   absurdity, extravagance, nonsense, imprudence, indiscretion

3. foolishnessnoun

   Synonyms:
   puerility, childishness, triviality

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

1. foolishnessnoun

   Synonyms:
   idiocy, imbecility, fatuity, silliness, irrationality, insagacity, imprudence, indiscretion, unwisdom, folly, absurdity, ineptitude, puerility

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

1. List of paraphrases for "foolishness":

   stupidity, folly, madness, nonsense, insanity

How to pronounce foolishness?

How to say foolishness in sign language?

Words popularity by usage frequency

How to use foolishness in a sentence?

1. Kahlil Gibran:

   Pain and foolishness lead to great bliss and complete knowledge, for Eternal Wisdom created nothing under the sun in vain.

2. Ben Carson:

   The jihadists want to infiltrate our nation. We have to exercise something that even resembles common sense, that would be foolishness to take in people from a region where we don't have any way in making a determination if this person is radicalized already or potentially radicalized.

3. George Bernard Shaw:

   First love is only a little foolishness and a lot of curiosity.

4. Loren Weisman:

   Consider the possibility that the more you engage, comment or react to fools and foolishness online, the more those fools and that foolishness are amplified, promoted and seen. Want to reduce their impact? Consider reducing your engagement with both them and their posts.

5. Horace:

   Mix a little foolishness with your prudence It's good to be silly at the right moment.