foolery
Absurd antics displayed
Foolery is foolish behavior or actions—silly, senseless conduct that wastes time or invites mockery.
The word has an old-fashioned, theatrical quality: Enough of this foolery!
It suggests antics rather than serious misconduct, closer to clowning than genuine stupidity.
Playful trick on someone
- shenanigansMischievous or deceitful behavior
- hijinksBoisterous playful mischief
- monkeyshinesFrivolous or mischievous behavior
- anticsAbsurd, attention-seeking behavior
trickery · roguery · devilry · skulduggery · hoax · caper · escapade · rascality
Exaggerated physical humor
- muggingRobbery with violence
- hammingExaggerated theatrical performance
- shtickPerformer's signature gimmick
- farceAbsurd, laughable situation
zaniness · goofiness · clownishness · horseplay · pratfall · pantomime · japery · drollery
Frivolous, absurd behavior
- lightheartednessCheerful lack of worry
- trivialityUnimportant small matter
- levityLack of seriousness
- flippancyFrivolous lack of seriousness
whimsy · giddiness · playfulness · frothiness · superficiality · airiness · inanity · emptiness
prank
Playful trick on someone
- shenanigansMischievous or deceitful behavior
- hijinksBoisterous playful mischief
- monkeyshinesFrivolous or mischievous behavior
antics · trickery · roguery · devilry · skulduggery · hoax · caper · escapade · rascality · troublemaking
slapstick
Exaggerated physical humor
- muggingRobbery with violence
- hammingExaggerated theatrical performance
- shtickPerformer's signature gimmick
farce · zaniness · goofiness · clownishness · horseplay · pratfall · pantomime · japery · drollery · capering
silliness
Frivolous, absurd behavior
- lightheartednessCheerful lack of worry
- trivialityUnimportant small matter
- levityLack of seriousness
flippancy · whimsy · giddiness · playfulness · frothiness · superficiality · airiness · inanity · emptiness · fatuity
absurdity
Wildly illogical quality
- balderdashSenseless talk or writing
- hogwashFoolish or untrue talk
- poppycockFoolish or meaningless talk
malarkey · twaddle · drivel · claptrap · rubbish · gibberish · bunk · hokum · humbug · flimflam
banter
Playful, teasing exchange
ribbing · joshing · kidding · raillery · repartee · quipping · wisecracks · drollness · jocularity · pleasantry
- mischiefmischief, hijinks, antics, pranks, antic
- tomfoolerysilliness, clownery, clownishness, goofing off, fooling around
- comedy typesclown, satire, parody, farce, slapstick
- farceslapstick, pratfall, mistaken identity, pratfalls, disguises
- jester thingscap, bells, motley, costume, bauble
- carnivalparade, costume, float, ferris wheel, roller coaster
foolerywisdom
Good judgment from experience
prudence · sagacity · judiciousness · good sense · discretion
fooleryseriousness
Earnest, weighty demeanor
solemnity · gravity · earnestness · soberness · sobriety
fooleryintelligence
Mental ability, cognitive capacity
brilliance · insight · acumen · astuteness · shrewdness