1
: having or showing a lack of good sense, judgment, or discretion
a foolish mistake
She takes foolish risks.
2
a
: absurd, ridiculous
He looked foolish in that hat.
b
: marked by a loss of composure : nonplussed
He felt foolish when he couldn't remember where he had parked the car.
3
foolishly
adverb
Examples of foolish in a Sentence
He was wearing a foolish grin.
She's been taking foolish risks.
Those flashy clothes make her look foolish.
She must feel foolish wearing those flashy clothes.
I never thought you'd be foolish enough to believe him.
Recent Examples on the Web
To write off the Israeli leader would be foolish, especially with new elections not required until late 2026.
—
Yair Rosenberg, The Atlantic, 22 May 2025
His writing is so human—his people are foolish in such human ways.
—The New Yorker, New Yorker, 21 May 2025
Fear will continually strive to widen that gap —fear of failing, of looking foolish, of not being enough, of falling flat on your face in front of your friends.
—Margie Warrell, Forbes.com, 20 May 2025
That wave of attacks made Trump look naive, even foolish, for claiming that Russia was serious about the peace process, and his tone toward the Kremlin sharply changed.
—Simon Shuster, Time, 15 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for foolish
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Yair Rosenberg, The Atlantic, 22 May 2025
His writing is so human—his people are foolish in such human ways.
—The New Yorker, New Yorker, 21 May 2025
Fear will continually strive to widen that gap —fear of failing, of looking foolish, of not being enough, of falling flat on your face in front of your friends.
—Margie Warrell, Forbes.com, 20 May 2025
That wave of attacks made Trump look naive, even foolish, for claiming that Russia was serious about the peace process, and his tone toward the Kremlin sharply changed.
—Simon Shuster, Time, 15 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for foolish
Cite this Entry
“Foolish.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/foolish. Accessed 6 Jun. 2025.
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