Word
foolishness
Phoneticsfool·ish·ness, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈfuɫɪʃnəs/
UK/fˈuːlɪʃnəs/
Uncountable noun
Definition
n. the quality of being silly or not showing good judgment. It can also mean a stupid act or a lack of wisdom.
n. the quality of lacking good sense or judgement; unwise or imprudent behaviour. Refers to both the abstract state of being unwise and specific instances of silly actions.
Examples
“His foolishness cost him a lot of money.”
“The manager regretted the foolishness of ignoring the early warning signs before the project failed.”
“While some dismissed his risky investment as pure foolishness, others saw it as a calculated gamble that simply failed to account for an unpredictable market shift.”
Examples
simple
“His foolishness cost him a lot of money.”
contextual
“The manager regretted the foolishness of ignoring the early warning signs before the project failed.”
complex
“While some dismissed his risky investment as pure foolishness, others saw it as a calculated gamble that simply failed to account for an unpredictable market shift.”
Usage
Often used with the preposition 'of' to describe a specific person's lack of judgement.
Etymology
From Middle English folishnesse, follissnesse, equivalent to foolish + -ness.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
NOUN
ADJECTIVE
ADVERB
- 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.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL 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: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
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englishreference.com/q/foolishness