Cambridge English: CPE (C2 Proficiency) - Foolishness & Folly

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asinine [adjective]

acting in a foolish or unintelligent manner

Ex: They were baffled by the asinine comments made by the guest speaker .

boorish [adjective]

having rude or disrespectful manners

Ex: She refused to tolerate his boorish behavior any longer .

boor [noun]

an insensitive and uneducated person who lacks culture and manners

Ex: The boor 's disregard for etiquette was evident in every social setting .

callow [adjective]

(of a person) young and behaving in a manner that displays one's inexperience or immaturity

Ex:

fatuous [adjective]

extremely thoughtless and foolish in speech or action

Ex: The politician ’s fatuous promises did nothing to address the real issues .

gauche [adjective]

having an awkward or impolite way of behaving due to a lack of social skills or experience

Ex:

insularity [noun]

lack of contact, interaction, or openness with other people or cultures, often leading to narrowness of view

Ex: The boarding school 's rules created a sense of social insularity among students .

prodigal [adjective]

habitually spending money or other resources in a reckless, extravagant, and wasteful way

Ex: His prodigal habits caught up with him , leaving him in severe debt .

maladroit [adjective]

clumsy or awkward in movement or behavior due to a lack of skill

Ex:

parochial [adjective]

possessing a limited understanding or point of view, and not open to broadening it

Ex: Her parochial approach to the problem limited the scope of potential solutions .

credulous [adjective]

believing things easily even without much evidence that leads to being easy to deceive

Ex: Parents teach their children to be wary of strangers so they are n't too credulous and easily deceived .

garrulous [adjective]

talking a great deal, particularly about trivial things

Ex: The garrulous guide filled the tour with constant , often unnecessary , chatter .

loquacious [adjective]

relating to someone who likes to talk much more than necessary

Ex: The loquacious speaker kept the audience engaged for hours .

voluble [adjective]

characterized by a ready and continuous flow of speech

Ex: The witness was surprisingly voluble under cross-examination .

impetuous [adjective]

done swiftly and without careful thought, driven by sudden and strong emotions or impulses

Ex: The impetuous adventurer set out on a dangerous journey without proper preparation or planning .

distrait [adjective]

not fully attentive or focused, often due to worry, anxiety, or preoccupation with other thoughts

Ex: The teacher noticed the distrait look on her student 's face .

lax [adjective]

showing a tendency to be less strict about rules or discipline

Ex: His lax parenting style resulted in unruly behavior from his children .

to [pass] the buck [phrase]

to refuse to hold oneself responsible for something when one should and expect others to deal with it instead

Ex: The politician 's strategy is to consistently pass the buck and shift blame to other parties , avoiding accountability for their own actions .

remiss [adjective]

failing to give the needed amount of attention and care toward fulfilling one's obligations

Ex: The company was remiss in maintaining workplace safety standards , leading to several accidents .

slovenly [adjective]

lacking of cleanliness and neatness, often implying a disregard for personal hygiene or grooming

Ex: The slovenly room was cluttered with unwashed dishes .

buffoon [noun]

a person who behaves in a ridiculous or amusing way, often to entertain others

Ex: The comedian 's routine had the audience roaring with laughter as he played the part of a loveable buffoon .

gormless [adjective]

clueless or showing a lack of awareness or understanding

Ex:

inane [adjective]

lacking meaningful content, purpose, or usefulness

Ex:

fool's paradise [phrase]

a state of happiness based on false hopes or illusions

Ex: She was trapped in a fool 's paradise , ignoring clear warnings .

barmy [adjective]

slightly crazy, eccentric, or behaving in a way that seems mentally odd

Ex:

batty [adjective]

slightly crazy, eccentric, or behaving in a way that seems mentally odd

Ex: He 's a bit batty , but harmless .

bonkers [adjective]

crazy, eccentric, or acting in a way that seems mentally unsound

Ex:

madcap [adjective]

showing little or no careful thought or planning

Ex:

buffoonery [noun]

foolish, clownish, or ridiculous behavior intended to amuse or entertain

Ex: The movie is full of slapstick and buffoonery .

precipitate [adjective]

done, made, or occurring suddenly without sufficient thought

Ex: We regretted the precipitate purchase of the car without checking its history first .

to [tilt] at windmills [phrase]

to fight or criticize imaginary enemies or problems

Ex:

Cambridge English: CPE (C2 Proficiency)
Deceitful Qualities & Roles	Deception & Corruption	Moral Corruption & Wickedness	Ailments & Injuries
Treatments & Remedies	The Body & Its State	Criticism & Censure	Sadness, Regret & Apathy
Fear, Anxiety & Weakness	Generosity, Kindness & Composure	Skill & Wisdom	Friendliness & Good Nature
Vigor & Fortitude	Favorable States & Qualities	Honesty & Integrity	Nature & Environment
Declaration & Appeal	Casual & Annoying Talk	Linguistic Terms & Sayings	Styles & Qualities of Speech
Religion & Morality	Magic & The Supernatural	Time & Duration	History & Antiquity
Legal Matters	Improvement	Foolishness & Folly	Hostility, Temper & Aggression
Arrogance & Haughtiness	Obstinacy & Stubbornness	Social Roles & Archetypes	Professions & Roles
Politics & Social Structure	Science	Hostile Actions	Low Quality & Worthlessness
Burdens & Afflictions	Physical Conflict	Termination & Renunciation	Prohibition & Prevention
Weakening & Decline	Confusion & Obscurity	Connection & Joining	Warfare
Abundance & Proliferation	Arts & Literature	Spoilage	Strong Emotional States
Color, Light & Visual Patterns	Form, Texture & Structure	Suitability & Appropriateness	Approval & Agreement
Additions & Attachments	Animals & Biology	Finance & Valuables	Tools & Equipment
Cognition & Understanding	Caution, Judgment & Awareness	Sound & Noise	Movement
Physical Descriptions	Landforms	Objects & Materials	Ceremonies & Revelry
Creation & Causation	Argument & Disparagement	Agriculture & Food	Unconventional States
Family & Marriage	Dwelling & Inhabiting	Scent & Flavor	Conceptual Extremes
Similarity & Difference