Definitions

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

  • adjective Designed so as to be impervious to human incompetence, error, or misuse.
  • adjective Effective; infallible.

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

  • adjective For a device: protected, or designed to be proof against misuse or error; fail-safe.
  • adjective For an idea or plan: infallible, or bulletproof.

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

  • adjective not liable to failure
  • verb proof against human misuse or error

Etymologies

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

fool +‎ -proof

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Examples

  • “A common mistake that people make when trying to design something completely foolproof is to underestimate the ingenuity of complete fools.”

    EXTRALIFE – By Scott Johnson - Codery Quotations 2006

  • Curse that Aimee and her so-called foolproof formula for success: “Wear your hair down and the highest heels you have, then watch the tips roll in.”

    Fashionably Late Beth Kendrick 2005

  • Curse that Aimee and her so-called foolproof formula for success: “Wear your hair down and the highest heels you have, then watch the tips roll in.”

    Fashionably Late Beth Kendrick 2005

  • Curse that Aimee and her so-called foolproof formula for success: “Wear your hair down and the highest heels you have, then watch the tips roll in.”

    Fashionably Late Beth Kendrick 2005

  • Curse that Aimee and her so-called foolproof formula for success: “Wear your hair down and the highest heels you have, then watch the tips roll in.”

    Fashionably Late Beth Kendrick 2005

  • The little formulas that the smart boys who design these so-called foolproof systems build in so they can sneak a gander whenever they feel like it.

    Tek Money Shatner, William 1995

  • He proceeded to share his so-called foolproof secrets on how he managed to purchase eleven cars in his lifetime way below sticker price.

    Forbes.com: News Forbes Blogs 2011

  • There is nothing which can be called foolproof or completely safe.

    Propeller Most Popular Stories 2009

  • There is nothing which can be called foolproof or completely safe.

    Propeller Most Popular Stories 2009

  • However, mammograms as important as they are, are not 100\% foolproof, which is why a CBE by a trained examiner is strongly recommended.

    Phoenix Arizona Real Estate Local News and Business Directory 2008

Comments

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  • That which usually proves not to be.

    September 15, 2008

  • even an Idiot can do it

    Sure to be successful

    May 27, 2009