Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • adjective Lacking or exhibiting a lack of good sense or judgment; silly.
  • adjective Capable of arousing laughter; absurd or ridiculous.
  • adjective Embarrassed; abashed.
  • adjective Insignificant; trivial.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • Like a fool; manifesting folly; deficient in understanding, sense, or discretion; weak in intellect or judgment; unwise.
  • Proceeding from or prompted by folly; exhibiting a want of discretion or discrimination; silly; vain; trifling.
  • Ridiculous; contemptible.
  • Denoting or indicative of folly.
  • Slight; insignificant.
  • Synonyms Silly, Foolish (see absurd); shallow, brainless, harebrained, simple.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • adjective Marked with, or exhibiting, folly; void of understanding; weak in intellect; without judgment or discretion; silly; unwise.
  • adjective Such as a fool would do; proceeding from weakness of mind or silliness; exhibiting a want of judgment or discretion.
  • adjective Absurd; ridiculous; despicable; contemptible.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • adjective of a person, etc. Lacking good sense or judgement; unwise.
  • adjective Resembling or characteristic of a fool.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • adjective having or revealing stupidity
  • adjective devoid of good sense or judgment

Etymologies

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

fool +‎ -ish

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Examples

  • BRAHIMI: The minister also said that the U.S. was preparing to launch what he called a foolish and stupid attack in defiance of the international communities 'will, but he said Iraq was preparing to face that eventuality as well -- Paula.

    CNN Transcript Mar 17, 2003 2003

  • BRAHIMI: The minister also said that the U.S. was preparing to launch what he called a foolish and stupid attack in defiance of the international communities 'will, but he said Iraq was preparing to face that eventuality as well -- Paula.

    CNN Transcript Mar 17, 2003 2003

  • BRAHIMI: The minister also said that the U.S. and Britain were preparing to launch what he called a foolish and stupid attack, that Iraq was preparing for that, while it was at the same time doing all it could to cooperate and avert war.

    CNN Transcript Mar 17, 2003 2003

  • Refusing to permit anything to interfere with my warm, vibrant, and exciting feelings, I laughed at what I called my foolish imagination and ran from the room, my own laughter trickling behind and finally shut away behind the bedroom doors to linger in the shadows with all the other ghost sounds that haunted Farthinggale Manor.

    Fallen Hearts V.C. ANDREWS 1988

  • Refusing to permit anything to interfere with my warm, vibrant, and exciting feelings, I laughed at what I called my foolish imagination and ran from the room, my own laughter trickling behind and finally shut away behind the bedroom doors to linger in the shadows with all the other ghost sounds that haunted Farthinggale Manor.

    Fallen Hearts V.C. ANDREWS 1988

  • The Pope rejected what he called their foolish novelties.

    The Birth of Yugoslavia, Volume 1 Henry Baerlein 1917

  • Every day of the month that followed, Kwan-yin's relatives begged her to give up what they called her foolish notion.

    A Chinese Wonder Book Norman Hinsdale Pitman 1900

  • But later, these things which some man has done because he loved you, and which you call foolish, will grow large in your life, and shine out strongly, and when you are discouraged and alone, you will take them out, and the memory of them will make you proud and happy.

    The Lion and the Unicorn 1899

  • But later, these things which some man has done because he loved you, and which you call foolish, will grow large in your life, and shine out strongly, and when you are discouraged and alone, you will take them out, and the memory of them will make you proud and happy.

    The Exiles and Other Stories Richard Harding Davis 1890

  • But later, these things which some man has done because he loved you, and which you call foolish, will grow large in your life, and shine out strongly, and when you are discouraged and alone, you will take them out, and the memory of them will make you proud and happy.

    Lion and the Unicorn Richard Harding Davis 1890

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