plural follies
1
: lack of good sense or normal prudence and foresight
his folly in thinking he could not be caught
2
a
: criminally or tragically foolish actions or conduct
"It was folly, pure folly," protested Lingard, "and this poor fellow has paid for it."—
Joseph Conrad
Joseph Conrad
b
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.
5
: an often extravagant picturesque building erected to suit a fanciful taste
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
The axiom of choice demonstrates the folly of believing that mathematical axioms are self-evident or obvious.
—Quanta Magazine, 29 Apr. 2026
Other states have realized the folly of their own nuclear moratoria in recent years.
—Paige Lambermont, Oc Register, 26 Apr. 2026
After Fuqua does interesting work sowing seeds of folly amid the star’s glorious rise, the movie gives up and turns to total sanctification.
—Spencer Kornhaber, The Atlantic, 24 Apr. 2026
Major networks passed on the stunt because the outcome was unpredictable, a decision that proved its folly when about 30 million viewers tuned in to see the opening, which revealed a mostly empty room containing only debris and a few empty bottles.
—Angela Andaloro, PEOPLE, 22 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for folly
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Quanta Magazine, 29 Apr. 2026
Other states have realized the folly of their own nuclear moratoria in recent years.
—Paige Lambermont, Oc Register, 26 Apr. 2026
After Fuqua does interesting work sowing seeds of folly amid the star’s glorious rise, the movie gives up and turns to total sanctification.
—Spencer Kornhaber, The Atlantic, 24 Apr. 2026
Major networks passed on the stunt because the outcome was unpredictable, a decision that proved its folly when about 30 million viewers tuned in to see the opening, which revealed a mostly empty room containing only debris and a few empty bottles.
—Angela Andaloro, PEOPLE, 22 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for folly
Cite this Entry
“Folly.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/folly. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
folly
noun
fol·ly
ˈfäl-ē 
plural follies
1
: lack of good sense or judgment
2
: foolish behavior
3
: a foolish act or idea
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