Synonyms for folly
ˈfɒl ifol·ly

English Synonyms and AntonymsRate these synonyms:3.0 / 1 vote

1. folly

   Idiocy is a state of mental unsoundness amounting almost or quite to total absence of understanding. Imbecility is a condition of mental weakness, which may or may not be as complete as that of idiocy, but is at least such as to incapacitate for the serious duties of life. Incapacity, or lack of legal qualification for certain acts, necessarily results from imbecility, but may also result from other causes, as from insanity or from age, sex, etc.; as, the incapacity of a minor to make a contract. Idiocy or imbecility is weakness of mind, while insanity is disorder or abnormal action of mind. Folly and foolishness denote a want of mental and often of moral balance. Fatuity is sometimes used as equivalent to idiocy, but more frequently signifies conceited and excessive foolishness or folly. Stupidity is dulness and slowness of mental action which may range all the way from lack of normal readiness to absolute imbecility. Compare INSANITY.

   Synonyms:
   fatuity, foolishness, idiocy, imbecility, incapacity, senselessness, stupidity

   Antonyms:
   acuteness, astuteness, brilliancy, capacity, common sense, intelligence, sagacity, sense, soundness, wisdom

Complete Dictionary of Synonyms and AntonymsRate these synonyms:0.0 / 0 votes

1. folly

   Synonyms:
   madness, nonsense, misconduct, imprudence, silliness, foolishness, weakness, absurdity, imbecility

   Antonyms:
   sense, wisdom, sanity, judgment, prudence, sobriety

Princeton's WordNetRate these synonyms:3.0 / 1 vote

1. folly, foolishness, unwisenessnoun

   the trait of acting stupidly or rashly

   Synonyms:
   lunacy, imbecility, madness, foolery, betise, tomfoolery, indulgence, unwiseness, foolishness, stupidity, craziness

   Antonyms:
   wiseness, wisdom

2. stupidity, betise, folly, foolishness, imbecilitynoun

   a stupid mistake

   Synonyms:
   lunacy, imbecility, madness, foolery, betise, tomfoolery, stupidity, indulgence, unwiseness, foolishness, craziness

   Antonyms:
   wisdom, wiseness

3. folly, foolishness, craziness, madnessnoun

   the quality of being rash and foolish

   "trying to drive through a blizzard is the height of folly"; "adjusting to an insane society is total foolishness"

   Synonyms:
   lunacy, foolishness, flakiness, fury, daftness, madness, rabidity, imbecility, stupidity, hydrophobia, rabidness, foolery, tomfoolery, lyssa, craziness, insaneness, indulgence, rage, rabies, unwiseness, betise

   Antonyms:
   wisdom, wiseness

4. folly, foolery, tomfoolery, craziness, lunacy, indulgencenoun

   foolish or senseless behavior

   Synonyms:
   lunacy, foolishness, flakiness, indulging, daftness, madness, lenience, pampering, stupidity, humoring, leniency, foolery, tomfoolery, self-indulgence, craziness, insaneness, indulgence, imbecility, unwiseness, betise

   Antonyms:
   wisdom, wiseness

Matched Categories

1. • Mistake
   • Play
   • Stupidity
   • Trait

Dictionary of English SynonymesRate these synonyms:0.0 / 0 votes

1. follynoun

   Synonyms:
   foolishness, imbecility, fatuity, stupidity, shallowness, dulness, doltishness

2. follynoun

   Synonyms:
   absurdity, extravagance, imprudence, nonsense, indiscretion, act of folly, foolish act

Synonyms, Antonyms & Associated WordsRate these synonyms:0.0 / 0 votes

1. follynoun

   Synonyms:
   foolishness, fatuity, indiscretion, unwisdom, absurdity, imprudence

PPDB, the paraphrase databaseRate these paraphrases:0.0 / 0 votes

1. List of paraphrases for "folly":

   madness, insanity, foolishness, lunacy, follies, craziness, stupidity, nonsense, thoughtlessness, crazy

Suggested Resources

1. folly

   Song lyrics by folly -- Explore a large variety of song lyrics performed by folly on the Lyrics.com website.

How to pronounce folly?

How to say folly in sign language?

Usage in printed sourcesFrom: 

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Words popularity by usage frequency

How to use folly in a sentence?

1. Antonin Artaud:

   There are souls that are incurable and lost to the rest of society. Deprive them of one means of folly, they will invent ten thousand others. They will create subtler, wilder methods, methods that are absolutely DESPERATE. Nature herself is fundamentally antisocial, it is only by a usurpation of powers that the organized body of society opposes the natural inclination of humanity.

2. Michael Waldman:

   If Congress can not act because of a broken The Senate, and federal courts refuse to protect voting rights, then states will have an open invitation to abuse the rights of their own people. It is folly to think that these laws in the states are as bad as it can get.

3. James Madison, Federalist 10:

   Liberty is to faction, what air is to fire, an ailment without which it instantly expires. But it could not be a less folly to abolish liberty, which is essential to political life, because it nourishes faction, than it would be to wish the annihilation of air, which is essential to animal life, because it imparts to fire its destructive agency.

4. Publilius Syrus:

   It is folly to punish your neighbor by fire when you live next door.

5. Austin Farrar:

   Knowledge, without common sense," says Lee, is "folly; without method, it is waste; without kindness, it is fanaticism; without religion, it is death." But with common sense, it is wisdom with method, it is power; with clarity, it is beneficence; with religion, it is virtue, and life, and peace.