Foolish Meaning
/ˈfuː.lɪʃ/Definition, CEFR level B1, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
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Definition
adjLacking good sense or judgement; unwise.
adjLacking good sense or judgement as a general trait; unwise; stupid.
Sentence Examples
You must put an end to your foolish behavior.
It appears that you have made a foolish mistake.
CEFR Practice Quiz
Making such a ____ decision without any thought showed a complete lack of common sense.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
It would be ____ to ignore the warning signs of a coming storm and go sailing anyway.
Word Origin & History
From Middle English folisch; equivalent to fool + -ish.
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"His wife and the neighbours lamented over his strange conduct, his dullness and melancholy, and began to think that he was grown foolish."
— 1828, Thomas Keightley, The Fairy Mythology, volume I, London: William Harrison Ainsworth, page 318:
"Next season will, as ever, be a different matter, another problem for Conte to solve as he looks to extend his personal record of four straight league titles in club football across England and Italy. Given his hunger for more – more time, more detail, more work – only the brave or the foolish would bet against him."
— 2017 May 13, Barney Ronay, “Antonio Conte’s brilliance has turned Chelsea’s pop-up team into champions”, in the Guardian:
"As a political system democracy seems to me extraordinarily foolish, but I would not go out of my way to protest against it. My servant is, so far as I am concerned, welcome to as many votes as he can get. I would very gladly make mine over to him if I could."
— 1915, G[eorge] A. Birmingham [pseudonym; James Owen Hannay], chapter I, in Gossamer, New York, N.Y.: George H. Doran Company, →OCLC:
Explore More B1 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
Making such a ____ decision without any thought showed a complete lack of common sense.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
It would be ____ to ignore the warning signs of a coming storm and go sailing anyway.