Standard Lemma guide

foolishly

adv · 3 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • /ˈfuːlɪʃli/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • CMU ARPABET: F UW1 L IH0 SH L IY0 Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

adv

Meaning 1

In a foolish manner.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • He dressed foolishly to entertain the children.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

adv

Meaning 2

Without good judgment.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • Foolishly, he had decided that, because a home was the best investment, two homes were even better.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

adverb

Meaning 3

without good sense or judgment

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • He acted foolishly when he agreed to come

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: unwisely

Antonyms: wisely

History

Etymology

From Middle English folysly, folysschly; equivalent to foolish + -ly.

Across languages

Translations

2 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Esperanto: malsaĝe — Translations
  • Old English: stuntlīċe — Translations