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

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asinine

[Adjective]

acting in a foolish or unintelligent manner

Ex: The plan was criticized for its asinine assumptions and lack of logic .

boorish

[Adjective]

having rude or disrespectful manners

Ex: Their boorish conduct at the event embarrassed their friends .

boor

[noun]

an insensitive and uneducated person who lacks culture and manners

Ex: Despite his wealth , he was seen as a boor due to his lack of refinement .

callow

[Adjective]

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

Ex: The team ’s callow tactics were easily outmaneuvered by their opponents .

fatuous

[Adjective]

extremely thoughtless and foolish in speech or action

Ex: It was clear that the fatuous plan lacked any serious consideration .

gauche

[Adjective]

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

Ex: The presenter’s gauche mannerisms were distracting during the conference.

insularity

[noun]

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

Ex: Her insularity came from rarely traveling outside her community .

prodigal

[Adjective]

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

Ex: The film portrayed the prodigal son who squandered his inheritance on frivolous pursuits .

maladroit

[Adjective]

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

Ex: The maladroit tennis player struggled with hand-eye coordination on the court .

parochial

[Adjective]

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

Ex: He criticized the project for its parochial perspective , arguing it lacked innovation and inclusivity .

credulous

[Adjective]

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

Ex: The politician 's promises were taken at face value by his credulous supporters .

garrulous

[Adjective]

talking a great deal, particularly about trivial things

Ex: She became known for her garrulous nature , chatting endlessly about minor topics .

loquacious

[Adjective]

relating to someone who likes to talk much more than necessary

Ex: The loquacious guest dominated the dinner conversation .

voluble

[Adjective]

characterized by a ready and continuous flow of speech

Ex: A voluble neighbor could talk for hours about local politics .

impetuous

[Adjective]

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

Ex: The impetuous teenager decided to skip school for a road trip , facing consequences from both parents and teachers .

distrait

[Adjective]

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

Ex: The distrait waiter forgot to bring half the order .

lax

[Adjective]

showing a tendency to be less strict about rules or discipline

Ex: The city had a lax attitude toward parking violations , leading to frequent abuse .

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: During the investigation, it was revealed that several individuals had passed the buck, resulting in a lack of accountability.

remiss

[Adjective]

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

Ex: The government was remiss in addressing the environmental concerns raised by the community .

slovenly

[Adjective]

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

buffoon

[noun]

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

Ex: Despite his reputation as a buffoon, he occasionally demonstrated surprising wisdom in his speeches .

gormless

[Adjective]

clueless or showing a lack of awareness or understanding

Ex: The teacher patiently explained the concept to the gormless student, hoping for some sign of comprehension.

inane

[Adjective]

lacking meaningful content, purpose, or usefulness

Ex: The politicians wasted time with inane bickering instead of discussing actual policy solutions.

fool's paradise

[phrase]

a state of happiness based on false hopes or illusions

Ex: The fool's paradise shattered once the truth came out.

barmy

[Adjective]

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

Ex: You must be barmy to go swimming in this freezing weather .

batty

[Adjective]

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

bonkers

[Adjective]

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

Ex: My friends think I'm bonkers for camping in the desert alone.

madcap

[Adjective]

showing little or no careful thought or planning

Ex: The film's madcap pacing kept the audience laughing from start to finish.

buffoonery

[noun]

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

Ex: Political debates sometimes slip into buffoonery rather than serious discussion .

precipitate

[Adjective]

done, made, or occurring suddenly without sufficient thought

Ex: The government’s precipitate response to the crisis only worsened the situation.

to tilt at windmills

[phrase]

to fight or criticize imaginary enemies or problems

Ex: They spent the meeting tilting at windmills over hypothetical threats.

Cambridge English: CPE (C2 Proficiency)

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