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foolishly

foolishly

28 2.8
In a way that shows poor judgment
  • adverb
  • /ˈfuːlɪʃli/
translation icon : imprudentemente
  • Foolishly, she trusted a stranger with her personal information.
  • perhaps foolishly

Well, choosing K foolishly can lead to strange results.

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Examples

  • "Even in a relatively quiet place like Jones Point, it's foolishly careless not to lock your car."

    Fiction book (1999)
  • I mean we'll all foolishly try to rescue her and get caught right in the trap.

  • So I was married when I was very young, foolishly maybe, maybe not.

  • People sometimes act foolishly out of out of fear to try to get away from it.

  • And content with the pleasure that that knowledge gave me, I foolishly stayed my hand.

  • There had been something foolishly romantic about that, she thought now.

    Fiction book (1999)
  • When he opened the store, he decided, foolishly, not to put in a gas pump.

    Fiction book (1990)
  • Let's assume that you have won the lottery and have serious money that you foolishly wish to invest in the stock market.

  • I prepared myself for the worst, but Virginia seemed to recover, and foolishly I succumbed to hope.

  • Every time she checked her phone messages, she hoped, foolishly, that she might hear Joel's voice.

    Fiction book (1998)

Synonyms

blindly
vsfoolishly
59 4.4

Without thinking or planning, often leading to mistakes

involves poor sense but may include some thought or feeling
recklessly
vsfoolishly
30 4.6

In a way that shows no care about danger or the results

refers to poor judgment without implying deliberate risk taking
stupidly
vsfoolishly
24 3.0

In a way that shows bad judgment or not being smart

focuses on poor sense or judgment without stressing low intelligence
naively
vsfoolishly
13 4.4

In a way that shows little experience and too much trust

is used for poor judgment without implying innocence or youth
irresponsibly
vsfoolishly
12 4.2

Showing no care for the bad results of what you do

focuses on lack of good sense rather than responsibility alone
rashly
vsfoolishly
7 5.6

Act quickly without thinking about the bad results

is about poor judgment generally, not only speed of action
unwisely
vsfoolishly
5 4.1

In a way that shows poor judgment

is the basic way to express poor sense or judgment
idiotically
vsfoolishly
  • Offensive
3 6.3

In a very foolish way that shows bad judgment

is a more general label for poor sense or judgment
misguidedly
vsfoolishly
1 6.4

A wrong way of acting because of bad judgment or wrong beliefs

covers lack of good judgment even when not based on wrong facts
inanely
vsfoolishly
1 7.3

In a silly way that has no real purpose

points to poor judgment rather than mere pointlessness or silliness
imprudently
vsfoolishly
1 7.7

In a way that shows no care for possible bad results

highlights poor judgment rather than only lack of caution
moronically
vsfoolishly
  • Offensive
1 7.6

In a very foolish way that shows little sense

is a less extreme way to say someone lacks good judgment
dumbly
vsfoolishly
1 7.5

Without thinking and showing little care for others

points to poor judgment rather than insensitivity or stupidity
fatuously
vsfoolishly
  • Offensive
1 9.2

In a silly way that shows little understanding

is more neutral about intelligence, stressing poor judgment instead
incautiously
vsfoolishly
1 7.0

In a careless way that ignores danger

focuses on poor sense rather than merely forgetting caution
foolhardily
vsfoolishly
1 8.3

Acting in a very risky way without thinking about the dangers

is broader, applying to poor judgment without daring risk
injudiciously
vsfoolishly
  • Formal
8.4

Acting without good sense or careful thought

is the common everyday term for the same idea
unintelligently
vsfoolishly
7.0

In a way that shows poor thinking or little care

emphasises poor judgment rather than general lack of intelligence
doltishly
vsfoolishly
  • Offensive
9.7

In a foolish way without much thought

highlights poor judgment without focusing on dullness of mind
nearsightedly
vsfoolishly
  • US
7.4

In a way that does not think about future problems or long-term effects

focuses on poor sense now rather than limited future planning
sillily
vsfoolishly
8.1

In a foolish way to make people laugh

describes poor judgment in general, not just playful behaviour

Antonyms

112 2.3

To act with good sense and careful thought

15 3.7

In a way that shows good judgment and practical choices

How Foolish

idiotically
  • Offensive
3 6.3
stupidly
24 3.0
foolishly
28 2.8

Surface Forms

foolishly positive

Morphology

foolishly = foolish (transparent) = fool + ish + ly

Standard adverb formation from the adjective 'foolish' by adding '-ly'; the adjective itself is transparently derived from 'fool' + '-ish'.

Etymology

Foolishly comes from fool, which means 'a person who lacks good sense', plus the endings -ish and -ly that turn it into 'in a ... way'. So to act foolishly is to act 'in a way that lacks good judgment'.