foolish
Not very smart
Foolish describes behavior or thinking that shows poor judgment or lack of sense.
A foolish mistake is one that should have been avoided.
A foolish person acts without considering consequences.
The word is milder than stupid—it suggests momentary lapses rather than permanent deficiency: I felt foolish for believing him.
Foolish can also mean trivial or frivolous: foolish distractions.
Lacking careful forethought
- irrationalLacking sound judgment
- ill-advisedShowing poor judgment
- shortsightedUnable to see ahead
- injudiciousShowing poor judgment
misguided · senseless · unreasonable · illogical · thoughtless · unsound · indiscreet · foolhardy
Wildly illogical
- ridiculousInviting scorn through absurdity
- ludicrousAbsurdly unreasonable or inappropriate
- preposterousCompletely contrary to reason
- inaneLacking sense or meaning
asinine · nonsensical · laughable · cockamamie · half-baked · crackpot · zany · goofy
Heedless or skin irritation
- heedlessCareless of consequences
- carelessInattentive, prone to mistakes
- incautiousCarelessly unguarded
- irresponsibleLacking sense of duty
impetuous · foolhardy · daredevil · overbold · harebrained · madcap · devil-may-care · hotheaded
Easily deceived
- credulousProne to blind trust
- trustingInclined to believe others
- unsuspectingNot anticipating danger
- ingenuousInnocently frank and trusting
artless · guileless · unworldly · impressionable · green · inexperienced · simple · innocent
Ludicrous, clumsy fool
- clownComedic performer in makeup
- motleyVaried, incongruous mixture
- harlequinMasked comic servant character
- tricksterCunning deceiver in myth
merrymaker · entertainer · prankster · joker · jokester · simpleton
Excessively quick, ill-considered
- rashHeedless or skin irritation
- precipitateHeadlong and reckless
- spontaneousArising without external cause
- unthinkingLacking conscious thought
snap · knee-jerk · spur-of-the-moment · unpremeditated · unconsidered · instinctive · headlong · abrupt
In a confused state
- befuddledMentally confused, disoriented
- addledConfused, unable to focus
- scatterbrainedLacking mental focus
- muddleheadedLacking mental clarity
absent-minded · bewildered · disoriented · flustered · rattled · mixed-up · foggy · fuzzy-headed
imprudent
Lacking careful forethought
- irrationalLacking sound judgment
- ill-advisedShowing poor judgment
- shortsightedUnable to see ahead
injudicious · misguided · senseless · unreasonable · illogical · thoughtless · unsound · indiscreet · foolhardy · brainless
absurd
Wildly illogical
- ridiculousInviting scorn through absurdity
- ludicrousAbsurdly unreasonable or inappropriate
- preposterousCompletely contrary to reason
inane · asinine · nonsensical · laughable · cockamamie · half-baked · crackpot · zany · goofy · daffy
rash
Heedless or skin irritation
- heedlessCareless of consequences
- carelessInattentive, prone to mistakes
- incautiousCarelessly unguarded
irresponsible · impetuous · foolhardy · daredevil · overbold · harebrained · madcap · devil-may-care · hotheaded · audacious
gullible
Easily deceived
- credulousProne to blind trust
- trustingInclined to believe others
- unsuspectingNot anticipating danger
ingenuous · artless · guileless · unworldly · impressionable · green · inexperienced · simple · innocent · wide-eyed
buffoon
Ludicrous, clumsy fool
- clownComedic performer in makeup
- motleyVaried, incongruous mixture
- harlequinMasked comic servant character
trickster · merrymaker · entertainer · prankster · joker · jokester · simpleton
hasty
Excessively quick, ill-considered
- rashHeedless or skin irritation
- precipitateHeadlong and reckless
- spontaneousArising without external cause
unthinking · snap · knee-jerk · spur-of-the-moment · unpremeditated · unconsidered · instinctive · headlong · abrupt · sudden
muddled
In a confused state
- befuddledMentally confused, disoriented
- addledConfused, unable to focus
- scatterbrainedLacking mental focus
muddleheaded · absent-minded · bewildered · disoriented · flustered · rattled · mixed-up · foggy · fuzzy-headed · woolly-headed
- foolishstupid, dumb, brainless, witless, senseless
- foolishnesssilliness, stupid, folly, idiotic, dumb
- mindlessbrainless, mindless, witless, senseless, unthinking
- Smartsintelligent, genius, smart, gifted, brilliant
- recklessreckless, careless, rash, heedless, imprudent
- funnyfunny, comical, hilarious, humorous, amusing
- fooling aroundIdle playful behavior
- fooling withHandling without purpose
- penny wise, pound foolishEconomizing on trifles, squandering on essentials
- penny wise and pound foolishEconomizing on trifles while squandering larger sums
- fooling yourself
- fooling aboutBehaving without seriousness