Foolish
/ˈfuːlɪʃ/
Definitions
Lacking good sense or judgment; unwise; silly.
/ˈfuːlɪʃ/
Lacking good sense or judgment
It was foolish to leave the door unlocked.
💡 Simply: Being foolish means doing something silly or not thinking things through. Like when you forget your umbrella on a rainy day, or decide to eat your entire birthday cake in one sitting – that's foolish!
👶 For kids: Doing something silly or not smart.
More Examples
He made a foolish mistake and regretted it later.
Don't be foolish and jump to conclusions.
How It's Used
"It was foolish of him to drive so fast in the rain."
"The tragic hero made a foolish decision that led to his downfall."
Idioms & expressions
Fool's errand
A task that is pointless and unlikely to succeed.
"Trying to convince him to change his mind is a fool's errand."
Play the fool
To act silly or make jokes, often for the purpose of entertainment or to avoid a serious situation.
"He started to play the fool to distract from the bad news."
From Middle English *folisch*, from Old French *fol* (“fool”) + -ish (suffix indicating resembling or having the quality of).
Historically, 'foolish' was often used in religious contexts to describe a lack of spiritual understanding or a rejection of divine wisdom.
Memory tip
Imagine a fool's cap; it represents foolish behavior.