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Definitions

fool's errand

NOUN
practical joke
Synonyms
STRONGEST
prank
WEAK
antic caper escapade espieglerie frolic gag high jinks mischievous trick monkeyshines shenanigans stunt tomfoolery trick
NOUN
red herring
Synonyms
STRONGEST
ploy smokescreen
WEAK
attention-grabber bait commotion curve ball deviation distraction distractor disturbance diversion diversionary tactic false clue false face false trail gimmick interruption maneuver wild-goose chase
NOUN
wild-goose chase
Synonyms
WEAK
bootless errand lost cause merry chase red herring snipe hunt vain attempt waste of time wasted effort wasted labor

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Betting against Nvidia has also been a fool’s errand in the past three years.

From Barron's • Mar. 26, 2026

According to history, betting against Microsoft’s stock over the longer term has been a fool’s errand.

From MarketWatch • Feb. 24, 2026

And when it comes to healing, understanding the exact contribution to improvement is a fool’s errand.

From Slate • Jan. 30, 2026

On a normal cruise out of Florida, finding a free chair with a view of the ocean can be a fool’s errand, unless you’re willing to get up at daybreak.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 23, 2025

I wait, and when he doesn’t respond I begin to feel that maybe I’m on a fool’s errand.

From "Challenger Deep" by Neal Shusterman

From Roget's 21st Century Thesaurus, Third Edition Copyright © 2013 by the Philip Lief Group.