plural follies
1
: lack of good sense or normal prudence and foresight
his folly in thinking he could not be caught
2
a
: criminally or tragically foolish actions or conduct
b
3
: a foolish act or idea
The prank was a youthful folly.
4
: an excessively costly or unprofitable undertaking
Paying so much for that land was folly, since it was all rocks and scrub trees.
5
: an often extravagant picturesque building erected to suit a fanciful taste
Examples of folly in a Sentence
the folly of driving fast on steep, winding roads
his folly in thinking that he would not be noticed
The folly of such an action should be apparent to everyone.
the follies of the modern world
the famous Ziegfeld Follies of the 1920s
Recent Examples on the Web
The 10-episode series (now streaming) follows the follies of the fictitious NBA team, the Los Angeles Waves, after Isla Gordon (Hudson) steps in to run it with her brothers (Drew Tarver and Scott MacArthur) when another (Justin Theroux) checks into rehab.
—
Erin Jensen, USA TODAY, 1 Mar. 2025
Paper money can see its value evaporate if fiscal folly prevails.
—Yun Li, CNBC, 22 Feb. 2025
However this does show the folly of bringing these kinds of players in to the dressing room at the same time as there being a permanent churn of managers trying to reset the culture and the playing style.
—Charlotte Harpur, The Athletic, 18 Feb. 2025
The infantile abomination that is The Boss Baby is the most unhinged example of the studio’s manic folly.
—James Grebey, Vulture, 31 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for folly
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Erin Jensen, USA TODAY, 1 Mar. 2025
Paper money can see its value evaporate if fiscal folly prevails.
—Yun Li, CNBC, 22 Feb. 2025
However this does show the folly of bringing these kinds of players in to the dressing room at the same time as there being a permanent churn of managers trying to reset the culture and the playing style.
—Charlotte Harpur, The Athletic, 18 Feb. 2025
The infantile abomination that is The Boss Baby is the most unhinged example of the studio’s manic folly.
—James Grebey, Vulture, 31 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for folly
Cite this Entry
“Folly.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/folly. Accessed 13 Mar. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
folly
noun
fol·ly
ˈfäl-ē 
plural follies
1
: lack of good sense or judgment
2
: foolish behavior
3
: a foolish act or idea
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