fatuity

Examples

• All

• In 1958, Fortune editor Daniel Seligman nicely captured the fatuity of this position, quoting a "close student of New York slums":

  Academic text (1991)

• The perils of fatuity.

  Blog text (4)

• This is a mindset of extreme fatuity.

  Blog text (15)

• Her fatuity was maddening, but I kept calm.

  Fiction book (2002)

• The fatuity lived on, she wrote, in the "abusively anti-American" temper of early 70s show folk: "America is their image of Hell."

  Academic text (2011)

• Who among us can resist seeing so much glitz, glamour, and hairspray expended in the name of selling fatuity to the eager masses?

  Blog text (8)

• On occasion, a sensitive and self-mortifying little man peeps out from behind his mean mask, but at bottom he's vindictive and cowardly, and his moments of insight are followed by explosions of fatuity.

  Academic text (1995)

• Her decision to invest in that failing company was an example of pure fatuity.

• He always made claims about his intelligence, but his latest idea revealed his fatuity.

• The movie was filled with scenes of fatuity that left the audience in disbelief.

Synonyms

F

foolishness

vsfatuity

61 2.7

A lack of good sense or careful thought that causes bad choices

adds a stronger tone by highlighting ludicrous or ridiculously foolish actions

F

folly

vsfatuity

59 7.3

A foolish action or a lack of good sense that causes trouble

is broader, covering both such actions and more ludicrous ideas

A

absurdity

vsfatuity

54 6.1

Something very silly that goes against common sense

focuses more on personal lack of sense rather than pure logical failure

S

stupidity

vsfatuity

51 3.4

A foolish action that shows poor judgment

also emphasizes the ridiculous or laughably foolish nature beyond mere poor sense

S

silliness

vsfatuity

29 2.6

Playful or foolish behavior that is not serious and often funny

is stronger and points to real stupidity or laughable lack of sense

F

foolery

vsfatuity

2 6.1

Silly, harmless behavior that makes people laugh

is less playful and more about real unintelligent or ludicrous conduct

I

imbecility

vsfatuity

• Informal

1 8.4

A stupid action or remark

is wider, often highlighting how the act seems ludicrous or absurd

I

imprudence

vsfatuity

1 7.7

A failure to be careful or to use good judgment when making choices

is less about risk and more about actions that seem ludicrously foolish

F

fatuousness

vsfatuity

9.5

A state of being foolish and not thinking clearly

is more likely to stress the ludicrous or blatantly foolish side of such acts

A

asininity

vsfatuity

• Offensive

9.9

The state of being very foolish in a stubborn way

can include less extreme cases and those that seem simply ludicrous

S

sappiness

vsfatuity

• Informal

7.6

A foolish way of acting that shows poor judgment

is broader, covering both sentimental poor choices and outright ludicrous acts

U

unwiseness

vsfatuity

9.7

A lack of good judgment when making choices

adds emphasis on how such unwise acts can be ludicrous or ridiculous

Antonyms

W

wisdom

571 2.7

To use what you know and have learned to make good choices and give good advice

I

intelligence

418 3.0

Ability to learn, understand, and use knowledge to solve problems

S

sagacity

• Formal

1 8.7

Being very wise and good at making decisions

How Foolish

idiocy

• Offensive

40 8.0

stupidity

51 3.4

fatuity

• Formal

1 9.9

foolishness

61 2.7

silliness

29 2.6

Surface Forms

Morphology

Etymology