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

folly

vsfatuity

60 7.3

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

is broader, covering both such actions and more ludicrous ideas

F

foolishness

vsfatuity

50 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

A

absurdity

vsfatuity

46 6.1

Something very silly that goes against common sense

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

S

silliness

vsfatuity

28 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

S

stupidity

vsfatuity

12 3.4

A foolish action that shows poor judgment

also emphasizes the ridiculous or laughably foolish nature beyond mere poor 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

A

asininity

vsfatuity

• Offensive

1 9.9

The state of being very foolish in a stubborn way

can include less extreme cases and those that seem simply ludicrous

F

fatuousness

vsfatuity

1 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

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

556 2.7

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

I

intelligence

388 3.0

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

S

sagacity

• Formal

2 8.7

Being very wise and good at making decisions

How Foolish

idiocy

• Offensive

32 8.0

stupidity

12 3.4

fatuity

• Formal

1 9.9

foolishness

50 2.7

silliness

28 2.6

Surface Forms

Morphology

Etymology