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
foolishly
adverb
Examples of foolish in a Sentence
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
The idea of the Nuggets claiming three more games in this series with Michael Porter Jr. scoring three points — on Denver’s first basket, no less — is foolish.
—
Troy Renck, Denver Post, 19 Apr. 2025
The first three days of the season took care of such foolish rookie thoughts and proved to be a humbling, but learning, experience.
—Thomas Weddle, Outdoor Life, 17 Apr. 2025
Part of the problem is that there being an outdoor dining season at all, running from April to the end of November, one of the Council’s foolish requirements of the new formal program that have ultimately shut a lot of small businesses out.
—New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 16 Apr. 2025
Given that Trump’s term is in its infancy, waiting for something to happen to change things seems foolish.
—Jim Cramer, CNBC, 16 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for foolish
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Troy Renck, Denver Post, 19 Apr. 2025
The first three days of the season took care of such foolish rookie thoughts and proved to be a humbling, but learning, experience.
—Thomas Weddle, Outdoor Life, 17 Apr. 2025
Part of the problem is that there being an outdoor dining season at all, running from April to the end of November, one of the Council’s foolish requirements of the new formal program that have ultimately shut a lot of small businesses out.
—New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 16 Apr. 2025
Given that Trump’s term is in its infancy, waiting for something to happen to change things seems foolish.
—Jim Cramer, CNBC, 16 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for foolish
Cite this Entry
“Foolish.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/foolish. Accessed 30 Apr. 2025.
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