foolishness
noun
fool·ish·ness ˈfü-lish-nəs 
1
: foolish behavior
2
: a foolish act or idea
Synonyms
- absurdity
- asininity
- balminess
- brainlessness
- craziness
- daftness
- dippiness
- dottiness
- fatuity
- fatuousness
- folly
- imbecility
- inanity
- insanity
- lunacy
- madness
- nonsensicalness
- nuttiness
- preposterousness
- senselessness
- silliness
- simplicity
- unwisdom
- wackiness
- witlessness
- zaniness
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
the foolishness of going off to search for the fountain of youth couldn't listen to another second of their foolishness, so I told them to be quiet
Recent Examples on the Web The star, who has made sure to call her co-stars out on their foolishness, has received the ire of their fans for doing so. 
Victoria Uwumarogie, Essence, 24 Aug. 2022 The movie has endured more as the obituary for the idealism and much of the foolishness of the Swinging ’60s. Steven Gaydos, Variety, 1 July 2022 One other thing: The people are friendly and formidable, quick to flash a smile at friendliness … and just as quick to suck our teeth at foolishness — so mind your manners. Juliet Pennington, BostonGlobe.com, 26 May 2022 What Putin has done is a terrible foolishness and a crime against both the Russian and Ukrainian peoples. Stella Kalinina, Smithsonian Magazine, 24 May 2022 Characters break the fourth wall to talk directly to the camera, sometimes to explain basketball strategy, and sometimes to comment on hypocritical foolishness. oregonlive, 1 Mar. 2022 The publishing industry happily appears to want nothing to do with such foolishness. Barton Swaim, WSJ, 18 Feb. 2022 Vladimir Putin’s Ukraine invasion exposed the foolishness of relying on despotic regimes for resources, particularly energy. John Barrasso, WSJ, 12 Apr. 2022 Put some foolishness in your April Fool’s Day with this very funny 1999 showbiz satire starring Steve Martin as a low-rent movie producer and Eddie Murphy as the unwitting star of Martin’s latest film. Los Angeles Times, 31 Mar. 2022 See More
Victoria Uwumarogie, Essence, 24 Aug. 2022 The movie has endured more as the obituary for the idealism and much of the foolishness of the Swinging ’60s. Steven Gaydos, Variety, 1 July 2022 One other thing: The people are friendly and formidable, quick to flash a smile at friendliness … and just as quick to suck our teeth at foolishness — so mind your manners. Juliet Pennington, BostonGlobe.com, 26 May 2022 What Putin has done is a terrible foolishness and a crime against both the Russian and Ukrainian peoples. Stella Kalinina, Smithsonian Magazine, 24 May 2022 Characters break the fourth wall to talk directly to the camera, sometimes to explain basketball strategy, and sometimes to comment on hypocritical foolishness. oregonlive, 1 Mar. 2022 The publishing industry happily appears to want nothing to do with such foolishness. Barton Swaim, WSJ, 18 Feb. 2022 Vladimir Putin’s Ukraine invasion exposed the foolishness of relying on despotic regimes for resources, particularly energy. John Barrasso, WSJ, 12 Apr. 2022 Put some foolishness in your April Fool’s Day with this very funny 1999 showbiz satire starring Steve Martin as a low-rent movie producer and Eddie Murphy as the unwitting star of Martin’s latest film. Los Angeles Times, 31 Mar. 2022 See More Word History
First Known Use
15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
foolishness
noun
1
as in insanity
lack of good sense or judgment the foolishness of going off to search for the fountain of youth Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- insanity
- madness
- absurdity
- simplicity
- unwisdom
- craziness
- folly
- silliness
- fatuousness
- stupidity
- stupidness
- daftness
- imbecility
- inanity
- wackiness
- lunacy
- witlessness
- preposterousness
- idiocy
- zaniness
- senselessness
- fatuity
- brainlessness
- nuttiness
- dottiness
- asininity
- nonsensicalness
- obtuseness
- irrationality
- simplemindedness
- balminess
- simpleness
- dullness
- unreasonableness
- ridiculousness
- mindlessness
- slowness
- dumbness
- feeblemindedness
- dippiness
- oafishness
- dopiness
- fallacy
- denseness
- doltishness
- dulness
- weirdness
- kookiness
- ludicrousness
- vacuity
- gormlessness
- dim-wittedness
- laughableness
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- wisdom
- prudence
- sagacity
- sanity
- soundness
- rationality
- sensibleness
- reasonableness
- sapience
- validity
- reasonability
- logicality
- insight
- perception
- sagaciousness
- discernment
- sageness
- logicalness
- rationalness
- percipience
2
as in nonsense
language, behavior, or ideas that are absurd and contrary to good sense couldn't listen to another second of their foolishness, so I told them to be quiet Synonyms & Similar Words
- nonsense
- stupidity
- silliness
- nuts
- garbage
- rubbish
- blah
- drool
- craziness
- insanity
- madness
- jazz
- muck
- bunk
- folly
- absurdity
- trash
- hogwash
- claptrap
- twaddle
- rot
- balderdash
- hokum
- trumpery
- baloney
- punk
- bunkum
- malarkey
- guff
- poppycock
- humbuggery
- bull
- beans
- piffle
- idiocy
- blither
- senselessness
- hooey
- flapdoodle
- tommyrot
- folderol
- bilge
- crock
- tosh
- falderal
- blatherskite
- fiddle
- fiddlesticks
- drivel
- blather
- fudge
- malarky
- bosh
- absurdness
- buncombe
- boloney
- blarney
- humbug
- blah-blah
- codswallop
- applesauce
- crapola
- horsefeathers
- nerts
- fiddle-faddle
- hoodoo
- tarradiddle
- moonshine
- imbecility
- hokeypokey
- inanity
- foolery
- tomfoolery
- taradiddle
- lunacy
- greek
- witlessness
- slush
- flannel
- fatuity
- asininity
- kookiness
- gas
- inaneness
- rigmarole
- shenanigan(s)
- monkey business
- monkeyshine(s)
- hot air
- rigamarole
- hoity-toity
- hocus-pocus
- double-talk
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- rationality
- sensibleness
- reasonableness
- reasonability
- sense
- wisdom
- levelheadedness
- judgment
- judgement
- horse sense
- discernment
- common sense
3
as in stupidness
the quality or state of lacking intelligence or quickness of mind you didn't fail the test because of any innate foolishness but because of a lack of preparation Synonyms & Similar Words
- stupidness
- stupidity
- thickness
- obtuseness
- slowness
- insanity
- dullness
- boneheadedness
- dumbness
- mindlessness
- witlessness
- oafishness
- dorkiness
- dopiness
- senselessness
- brainlessness
- fatuity
- density
- denseness
- doltishness
- idiocy
- dulness
- simpleness
- simplicity
- weak-mindedness
- madness
- absurdity
- vacuity
- craziness
- simplemindedness
- gormlessness
- feeblemindedness
- folly
- fatuousness
- silliness
- irrationality
- dim-wittedness
- daftness
- unreasonableness
- inanity
- wackiness
- lunacy
- preposterousness
- zaniness
- nuttiness
- dottiness
- fallacy
- asininity
- inaneness
- nincompoopery
- nonsensicalness
- mental retardation
- balminess
- mental deficiency
- dippiness
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- cleverness
- brilliance
- intelligence
- smartness
- judgment
- quickness
- judgement
- wisdom
- brightness
- astuteness
- perception
- insight
- perspicacity
- acumen
- discernment
- keenness
- sagacity
- sharpness
- wit
- alertness
- braininess
- quick-wittedness
- percipience
- rationality
- reasonableness
- sapience
- validity
- soundness
- logicality
- sageness
- logicalness
- rationalness