Folly
Definition, Meaning & Examples
Pronunciation /ˈfɑli/ · Part of speech noun
Quick meaning: Folly is a noun meaning Foolishness that results from a lack of foresight or lack of practicality.
Meaning
Foolishness that results from a lack of foresight or lack of practicality.
More Meanings
- Thoughtless action resulting in tragic consequence.
- (architecture) A fanciful building built for purely ornamental reasons.
- (largely obsolete outside place names) A clump of trees, particularly one on the crest of a hill (or sometimes on a stretch of open ground).
- (dialectal) To follow.
Example Sentences
The purchase of Alaska from Russia was termed Seward's folly.
With the voices singing in our ears, saying That this was all folly.
It would be folly to walk all that way, knowing the shops are probably shut by now.
A luncheonette in the shape of a coffee cup is particularly conspicuous, as is intended of an architectural duck or folly.
Word Forms
- follies
- follying
- follied
Synonyms for folly
Depending on context, synonyms include indulgence, foolishness, tomfoolery, imbecility, foolery, stupidity.
Antonyms for folly
Common opposites include wiseness, wisdom.
Related Words
Related dictionary entries include foolishness, stupidity, foolery, imbecility, tomfoolery, craziness.
Related Dictionary Tools
Sources & Attribution
FreeDictionaryAPI.com / Wiktionary · Original source · CC BY-SA 4.0
Dictionary data is provided by FreeDictionaryAPI.com and sourced from Wiktionary under its stated license.