folly

noun

fol·ly | \ ˈfä-lē

plural follies

Definition of folly

1 : lack of good sense or normal prudence and foresight his folly in thinking he could not be caught

2a : criminally or tragically foolish actions or conduct

b obsolete : evil, wickedness especially : lewd behavior

3 : a foolish act or idea The prank was a youthful folly.

4 : an excessively costly or unprofitable undertaking Paying so much for that land was folly, since it was all rocks and scrub trees.

5 : an often extravagant picturesque building erected to suit a fanciful taste

Synonyms More Example Sentences Learn More about folly

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Examples of folly in a Sentence

the folly of driving fast on steep, winding roads his folly in thinking that he would not be noticed The folly of such an action should be apparent to everyone. the follies of the modern world the famous Ziegfeld Follies of the 1920s

Recent Examples on the Web

Vast Canfranc Estación, all 241 metres of it, is a folly in the middle of nowhere, marooned about 100km east of Pamplona. — Edward Carr, 1843, "We apologise for the decay," 29 Aug. 2019 But in Rushdie’s hands all borders are indeed porous: between author and subject, reality and magic, hope and folly. — Nicholas Mancusi, Time, "Salman Rushdie’s Quichotte Is a Fantastical Dream Within a Dream," 22 Aug. 2019 Remain focused on achieving your career goals even if this entails certain sacrifices. IF AUGUST 22 IS YOUR BIRTHDAY: You may be protected from some folly as the next two to three weeks pass by. — Tribune Content Agency, oregonlive.com, "Horoscope for Aug. 22, 2019: Happy birthday Kristen Wiig; Leo, whip up something exciting," 22 Aug. 2019 The consortium prevailed even as New York became Exhibit A for the nation’s testing follies. — Andrea Gabor, The Denver Post, "Guest Commentary: Testing craze is fading in U.S. schools. Good. Here’s What’s Next.," 16 Aug. 2019 But the play will live on as the partly embarrassing, partly comical and partly understanding folly of the season. — Anthony Fenech, Detroit Free Press, "Detroit Tigers explain blooper-reel home run: 'We didn't communicate well'," 14 Aug. 2019 This is just one hypothetical illustration of the folly of rescinding that law. — latimes.com, "Costa Mesa City Council showed courage in its defense of federal law," 4 May 2018 All the right components are there: human folly, hubris, typecasting, flames. — Carina Chocano, New York Times, "When Gender Reveal Videos Go Spectacularly, Cathartically Wrong," 1 Aug. 2019 Four setbacks in the Astros' first six games out of the All-Star break featured frustrating follies. — Chandler Rome, Houston Chronicle, "Astros bounce back, blast Angels," 18 July 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'folly.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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More Definitions for folly

folly

noun

English Language Learners Definition of folly

: the lack of good sense or judgment

: a foolish act or idea : foolish behavior

: a very unusual or fancy building that was built in a garden for decoration or amusement in the past

See the full definition for folly in the English Language Learners Dictionary

folly

noun

fol·ly | \ ˈfä-lē

plural follies

Kids Definition of folly

1 : lack of good sense His own folly caused his trouble.

2 : a foolish act or idea That plan was sheer folly.

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folly

Definition of folly

Synonyms for folly

Examples of folly in a Sentence

First Known Use of folly

History and Etymology for folly

English Language Learners Definition of folly

Kids Definition of folly

folly

Definition of folly

Synonyms for folly

Examples of folly in a Sentence

First Known Use of folly

History and Etymology for folly

English Language Learners Definition of folly

Kids Definition of folly

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