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Fatuous vs Foolish - What's the difference?

fatuous | foolish |

As adjectives the difference between fatuous and foolish

is that fatuous is obnoxiously stupid, vacantly silly, content in one's foolishness while foolish is lacking good sense or judgement; unwise.

fatuous

English

Adjective

(en adjective)
  • Obnoxiously stupid, vacantly silly, content in one's foolishness.
    • To compare the intelligence levels of men and women is itself fatuous .

    Usage notes

    * Refers especially to foolishness and disregard of reality.

    Synonyms

    * (obnoxiously stupid) childish, imbecilic, inane, insipid, puerile

    Related terms

    * fatuity * fatuously * fatuousness * infatuate

    foolish

    English

    Adjective

    (en-adj)
  • Lacking good sense or judgement; unwise.
  • :
  • *
  • *:As a political system democracy seems to me extraordinarily foolish , but I would not go out of my way to protest against it. My servant is, so far as I am concerned, welcome to as many votes as he can get. I would very gladly make mine over to him if I could.
  • Resembling or characteristic of a fool.
  • :
  • *(Aeschylus)
  • *:It is a profitable thing, if one is wise, to seem foolish .

    • Synonyms

    * absurd * idiotic * ridiculous * silly * unwise

    Antonyms

    * wise

    Derived terms

    * foolishness