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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Milwaukee challenged the play, and the replay clearly showed Bauers stepped on first, causing another blunder for Bucknor.—
Jason Ounpraseuth,
MSNBC Newsweek,
1 Apr. 2026 -
In the second inning, well before his ninth-inning blunder, Burger fumbled an infield pop-up from García with two outs.—
Shawn McFarland,
Dallas Morning News,
28 Mar. 2026
Noun
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In this world, at this time, a little insanity can go a long way.—
Neil Senturia,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
30 Mar. 2026
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Kennedy calls fortification ‘insanity’ That view contrasts sharply with critics — including some at the highest level of government — who regard fortification of the food supply as a form of government overreach.—
Jonel Aleccia,
Los Angeles Times,
29 Mar. 2026
Noun
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There’s a heartwarming idiocy to their pursuit, yet what festers underneath is their inability to process grief consciously and the fear that those who deem their existence meaningless might be right.—
Carlos Aguilar,
Variety,
14 Mar. 2026
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Gunther and Tig are two billionaire failsons who have wasted countless opportunities and cash chasing the stupidest ideas and who get rewarded over and over again for their idiocy.—
Roxana Hadadi,
Vulture,
10 Mar. 2026
Noun
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The absurdity is that Democratic voters outnumber Republicans in California by nearly 2 to 1.—
George Skelton,
Mercury News,
3 Apr. 2026
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When the couple falls into a little Noel Cowardesque riff, the play’s central confession arrives like a comic absurdity.—
Steven Winn,
San Francisco Chronicle,
3 Apr. 2026
Noun
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The structures are called follies and were completely designed and built by students from start to finish.—
Brady Halbleib,
CBS News,
2 Apr. 2026
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Malinin got a bit of redemption for his follies at the Olympics with a third-straight men's individual world title in Prague, and then finally had some fun after weeks of drama following his every move.—
Tyler Erzberger,
MSNBC Newsweek,
30 Mar. 2026
Noun
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If not for the stupidity of Joe Biden and the Democrats, ICE would have an easier job.—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
31 Mar. 2026
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Smart, skilled, hardworking people gracefully put up with all manner of tragedy, stupidity, and institutional rot.—
Josh Tyrangiel,
The Atlantic,
22 Mar. 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 6 Apr. 2026.
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