fool 1 of 3

noun

ˈfül How to pronounce fool (audio)
Definition of foolnext
1
as in lunatic
a person who lacks good sense or judgment only a fool would attempt to climb that mountain unprepared

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2
as in clown
a person formerly kept in a royal or noble household to amuse with jests and pranks a king's fool could get away with saying things that others in the palace couldn't

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3
as in sucker
a person with a strong and habitual liking for something I'm a fool for ice cream

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

fool

2 of 3

adjective

as in foolish
showing or marked by a lack of good sense or judgment he's always got some fool plan or other

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fool

3 of 3

verb

1
as in to deceive
to cause to believe what is untrue I fooled him into thinking that we were driving to the store, not to his surprise birthday party

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2
as in to joke
to make jokes an edgy comedian fooling with an appreciative college audience

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of fool
Noun
Only a fool wouldn’t believe that over-regulation doesn’t cost jobs and increase both taxes and the cost of goods and services. — Letters To The Editor, Hartford Courant, 26 July 2026 For the Domino release Spatial, No Problem, MOM collated tracks produced from 2019-2025, with Scratch strictly on mic duties, playing the sage fool. — Dave Segal, SPIN, 24 July 2026
Verb
Fortitude, directed by Simon West, follows the true story of British Intelligence operatives using novel strategic operations to fool Nazi leadership. — Winston Cho, HollywoodReporter, 30 July 2026 The film, directed by Simon West, is based on the true story of British Intelligence operatives using unprecedented strategic operations to fool Nazi leadership and help change the course of World War II. — Ted Johnson, Deadline, 30 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for fool
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fool
  1. lunatic
  2. clown
  3. sucker
  4. foolish
  5. deceive
  6. joke
  7. moron
  8. harlequin
Noun
  • While sane Americans were celebrating the MLB All-Star Game in Philadelphia on Tuesday night, the lunatics in Portland, Oregon were cheering along as two men made out on a baseball field during a 'Heated Rivalry' theme night.
    — Joe Kinsey OutKick, FOXNews.com, 15 July 2026
  • As a Spurs fan, I was particularly invested in Campbell in an England shirt and recall charging around the living room like a lunatic before the reality that it had been chalked off hit home.
    — The Athletic UK Staff, New York Times, 18 June 2026
Definition of lunatic
Noun
  • One morning during my stay, there were even clowns buzzing about—a thrill to receive a balloon poodle alongside my morning flat white.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 29 July 2026
  • This take on the mad clown of Gotham is less Jack Nicholson and George Romero, choosing a more stoic approach inspired by Conrad Veidt silent films and German expressionism.
    — Nick Romano, Entertainment Weekly, 23 July 2026
Definition of clown
Noun
  • The Maryland Terrapins rolled these suckers out in the early 2010s and subsequently burned the retinas of college football fans all over the country.
    — Austin Perry OutKick, FOXNews.com, 1 Aug. 2026
  • Locate the Suckers Before you get started, find the plant’s main stems, which will have many secondary shoots or leaves, called suckers, growing off of them.
    — Samantha Johnson, Martha Stewart, 18 July 2026
Definition of sucker
Adjective
  • Doing it for a guy who was closer to average last year and got outplayed by his backup is probably downright foolish.
    — Dom Luszczyszyn, New York Times, 22 July 2026
  • Johnson continued this week to push for his foolish and counterproductive desire to impose a $33-per-month tax on each Chicago job generated by the city’s largest private-sector employers.
    — The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 10 July 2026
Definition of foolish
Verb
  • Mora filed a cross-complaint against Giumarra alleging he was deceived by the company and its representatives into signing a contract that made false claims about the fruit, including that it was patented by Giumarra.
    — Robert Rodriguez, Sacbee.com, 24 July 2026
  • All the wig and makeup work put into deceiving their people isn’t needed in the first place.
    — Michael Ashley, Forbes.com, 22 July 2026
Definition of deceive
Verb
  • The au naturel prix-fixes ignited controversy the moment the restaurant’s flyer started circulating on social media in late June, with most chatter ranging from joking to serious, bawdy to scandalized.
    — Phillip Valys, Sun Sentinel, 1 Aug. 2026
  • Serhiy joked he had been discharged from the military after being seriously wounded on the front line.
    — Nick Paton Walsh, CNN Money, 31 July 2026
Definition of joke
Noun
  • God help us all if some idiot, some moron, ever put you in charge.
    — Greg Evans, Deadline, 18 July 2026
  • Mantzoukas was willing to look like a maniac and a moron in equal measure.
    — Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 17 June 2026
Definition of moron
Noun
  • Colorado potato beetles target potato plants, while harlequin beetles do damage to brassica family plants like kale, cauliflower, cabbage, and broccoli.
    — Alexandra Jones, The Spruce, 3 June 2026
  • For the event, Kaling donned a strapless Elie Saab gown covered in crystal embroidery, which included a harlequin pattern and a sheer skirt.
    — Hannah Malach, InStyle, 27 May 2026
Definition of harlequin

Phrases Containing fool

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foofaraws
fool
fool's paradise
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Cite this Entry

“Fool.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fool. Accessed 4 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on fool

Nglish: Translation of fool for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about fool

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