as in blunder
a foolish act or idea
writing a sequel to a Jane Austen novel must be regarded as a literary bêtise of the highest order
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bêtise
Noun
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An Italian Winter Olympics broadcaster who was on the mic for the opening ceremony before the Milan Cortina Games began last week faced immense backlash and a strike call for numerous blunders during the show.—
Ryan Gaydos,
FOXNews.com,
10 Feb. 2026 -
With a regulation win in their sights, the Sabres allowed the score-tying goal with 26 seconds left in regulation and then made a defensive blunder in overtime to allow Jake Guentzel a clean breakaway for the game-winning goal.—
Matthew Fairburn,
New York Times,
4 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Repeal this insanity and restore order to our streets!—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
7 Feb. 2026
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Defense attorneys hoped to convince the jury that Gacy was not guilty by reason of insanity.—
Kori Rumore,
Chicago Tribune,
6 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Unlike its sibling concepts of dumbness and idiocy, stupidity isn’t really a personality trait.—
Jonny Thomson,
Big Think,
11 Feb. 2026
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Harry and Finis refused to play Jack Donahoe’s game of commenting on every idiocy that came across their desks.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
27 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Indonesian auteur Edwin has spent much of his career examining the quiet absurdities of modern life with a cool, deadpan detachment.—
Patrick Brzeski,
HollywoodReporter,
15 Feb. 2026
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Eager sycophants run behind him to carry out his directives and repeat his absurdities.—
Letters to the Editor,
The Orlando Sentinel,
15 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Beverage company Sazerac, which during the game had the first-ever national Super Bowl ad generated by AI, said that its revival of the Fembot and Brobot characters to sell Svedka vodka was meant to show the folly of turning over so much power to the algorithm.—
Steven Zeitchik,
HollywoodReporter,
9 Feb. 2026
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Netflix's Bridgerton is a Regency-era series about the romantic follies of the noble Bridgerton family.—
Allison DeGrushe,
Entertainment Weekly,
6 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Which is much worse than plain old stupidity.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
11 Feb. 2026
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Unlike its sibling concepts of dumbness and idiocy, stupidity isn’t really a personality trait.—
Jonny Thomson,
Big Think,
11 Feb. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Bêtise.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/b%C3%AAtise. Accessed 16 Feb. 2026.
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