FOOLISHNESS

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 Dictionary entry overview: What does foolishness mean? 

• FOOLISHNESS (noun)
  The noun FOOLISHNESS has 3 senses:

1. the trait of acting stupidly or rashly

2. the quality of being rash and foolish

3. a stupid mistake

  Familiarity information: FOOLISHNESS used as a noun is uncommon.

 Dictionary entry details 

• FOOLISHNESS (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

The trait of acting stupidly or rashly

Classified under:

Nouns denoting attributes of people and objects

Synonyms:

folly; foolishness; unwiseness

Hypernyms ("foolishness" is a kind of...):

trait (a distinguishing feature of your personal nature)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "foolishness"):

indiscretion; injudiciousness (the trait of being injudicious)

absurdity; fatuity; fatuousness; silliness (a ludicrous folly)

asininity (the quality of being asinine; stupidity combined with stubbornness)

Derivation:

foolish (having or revealing stupidity)

Sense 2

Meaning:

The quality of being rash and foolish

Classified under:

Nouns denoting cognitive processes and contents

Synonyms:

craziness; folly; foolishness; madness

Context example:

adjusting to an insane society is total foolishness

Hypernyms ("foolishness" is a kind of...):

stupidity (a poor ability to understand or to profit from experience)

Derivation:

foolish (devoid of good sense or judgment)

Sense 3

Meaning:

A stupid mistake

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Synonyms:

betise; folly; foolishness; imbecility; stupidity

Hypernyms ("foolishness" is a kind of...):

error; fault; mistake (a wrong action attributable to bad judgment or ignorance or inattention)

 Context examples 

There is a big lock on door so that Mobits does not run away. This also is a great foolishness. Mobits will not run away.

(Love of Life and Other Stories, by Jack London)

To her it seemed that his foolishness was becoming a madness.

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)

At sight of a sharp knife and a cowardly Cockney the clinging of life to life overcomes all your fond foolishness.

(The Sea-Wolf, by Jack London)

As to your foolishness and awkwardness, my dear Fanny, believe me, you never have a shadow of either, but in using the words so improperly.

(Mansfield Park, by Jane Austen)

Just at present it comes hard to poor James; but that will not last forever; and I dare say he will be a discreeter man all his life, for the foolishness of his first choice.

(Northanger Abbey, by Jane Austen)

That is the white man's way, and there is no understanding it. It is a foolishness, a great foolishness.

(Love of Life and Other Stories, by Jack London)

My situation, my foolishness and awkwardness.

(Mansfield Park, by Jane Austen)

At first she had tolerated with sisterly fondness what she conceived to be his foolishness; but now, out of sisterly solicitude, she grew anxious.

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)

Now listen, O White Man, and I will tell you of a great foolishness.

(Love of Life and Other Stories, by Jack London)

"It is the foolishness of the white man," snapped Zilla.

(Love of Life and Other Stories, by Jack London)