Word
foolish
Phoneticsfool·ish, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈfuɫɪʃ/
UK/fˈuːlɪʃ/
Definitions
01unwise or lacking judgement
B1 · Intermediate
adj. acting without good sense or making a choice that is not smart.
adj. demonstrating a lack of good judgement or prudence; often used to describe specific actions or decisions that lead to negative consequences.
“It would be foolish to go outside in the storm without a coat.”
“The investors realized too late that it was foolish to commit so much capital to a project with no clear path to profitability.”
Pitfall
It was foolish from him to leave.
It was foolish of him to leave.
When describing a person's character through their action, use 'of' followed by the person.
02ridiculous or like a fool
B2 · Upper Intermediate
adj. looking or acting silly in a way that makes people laugh or feel embarrassed.
adj. resembling or characteristic of a fool; often used when someone feels embarrassed or looks ridiculous to others.
“He felt foolish when he realized he was wearing two different shoes.”
“She felt incredibly foolish standing on the stage after forgetting the opening lines of her presentation.”
Synonyms
Etymology
From Middle English folisch; equivalent to fool + -ish.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
NOUN
ADJECTIVE
ADVERB
Idioms
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B1 PreliminaryIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.4.0–5.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 3.0–3.544–71TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.550–784
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- B1 · Intermediate
- Updated
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