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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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
Many of the most viral videos that are part of the trend also play with social power dynamics by having the creator make a fool of someone who may be older, male or even their boss — further evidence of how social media use is changing online. — David MacK, CNN Money, 20 Aug. 2026 Sho Fujita, Burroughs, running back, senior Don’t let the 5-foot-6 size fool you. — Ethan Hanson, Daily News, 19 Aug. 2026
Verb
We’re meant to learn from our mistakes and not get fooled a second time. — Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 23 Aug. 2026 Boyd’s first-pitch high fastball to Raleigh didn’t fool the Mariners catcher despite his immense struggles this year. — Meghan Montemurro, Chicago Tribune, 22 Aug. 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
  • Republicans see an opportunity here, portraying progressive and socialist Democrats as lunatics and communists.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 9 Aug. 2026
  • 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
Definition of lunatic
Noun
  • But my favorite Tim Curry performance will always be Pennywise, the clown in Tommy Lee Wallace’s 1990 miniseries adaptation of Stephen King’s It, which, compared to Andy Muschietti’s mega popular pair of films, is modest, even a little lame.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Curry, who died Tuesday at 80, made a gleefully evil turn as a clown that sparked nightmares for legions of Gen X and millennial viewers that continue to haunt to this day.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of clown
Noun
  • In 2019, when Altamirano was mayor pro tem, a council member accused Altamirano of sucker-punching him.
    — Fedor Zarkhin, Los Angeles Times, 26 Aug. 2026
  • Often, a tree grows suckers in response to stress from pests, diseases, or damage, or to difficult conditions such as inadequate root space or insufficient water.
    — Beth Botts, Chicago Tribune, 16 Aug. 2026
Definition of sucker
Adjective
  • When his splitter is at its best, Cruz makes opposing hitters look foolish.
    — Chris Kirschner, New York Times, 26 Aug. 2026
  • But Americans would be foolish to think that Washington is anywhere near solving this problem.
    — Doug Beck, Foreign Affairs, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of foolish
Verb
  • Your eyes aren't deceiving you — the little delivery robots rolling down Washington DC streets are becoming a more common sight.
    — Mike Stunson, USA Today, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Jury Duty has managed to deceive two unsuspecting do-gooders with civic duty and a company retreat.
    — Peter White, Deadline, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of deceive
Verb
  • Professional athletes have joked about it in the past, with even all-time NBA great LeBron James teasing at a potential college sports journey post-retirement—albeit as more of a joke than an actual plan.
    — Joshua Hong, Fortune, 29 Aug. 2026
  • McGee joked with the crowd that their most similar qualities were distress around loud noises and mild anxiety.
    — Maddie Rhodes, USA Today, 28 Aug. 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

Browse Nearby Words

foofaraws
fool
fool's paradise
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Fool.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fool. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on fool

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about fool

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Why does English have so many silent letters?

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Even More Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
skateboard-dog-hat
Wordmaxxing Slang Quiz Give your vocabulary a glow up by getting sendy w...
See All