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fatuous Definition

fatu·ous (fac̸ho̵̅o̅ əs)

adjective

  1. complacently stupid or inane; silly; foolish
  2. Archaic like an ignis fatuus; illusory; unreal

Etymology: L fatuus, foolish < IE base *bhāt-, to strike > batter

fatuous Related Forms

fatu·ously adverb fatu·ous·ness noun

fatuous Synonyms

fatuous

modif.

inane, silly, foolish, idiotic; see silly, stupid 1. See syn. study at silly.

fatuous Usage Examples

Modifies a noun

  • quot: For social security reform the fatuous quot which many thought placed underneath the.
  • claim: Behind its fatuous claims of " managed migration " , the Government is starting to worry.
  • comment: OK... I'll shuffle these topics around into some sort of order, with the bar-room arguments and fatuous comments at the bottom.
  • idea: There are some fatuous ideas about how GA gets a free ride.
  • question: The answers to each of these fatuous questions are of course it does not!
  • argument: So I fail to see why you feel that it helps you to resort to such fatuous arguments.

Modifying Another Word

  • rather: Then he turned his own rather fatuous face to the company.
  • so: For all his limitations I cannot imagine Blair saying anything so fatuous.
  • somewhat: Somewhat fatuous and hair brained, one is lost in its autonomous sangfroid.
  • completely: In those circumstances, the idea that the US and the British are getting their hands on Iraqi oil is completely fatuous.
  • totally: A totally fatuous and circular argument from an intellectually bankrupt philosophy.
  • almost: Given what the NHS was, it is almost fatuous to say all the money has gone in, but nothing's happened.

Used with adjective complement

  • sound: This is going to sound completely fatuous, but it's my honest answer.
  • become: He describes his growing love of this country with an excited sense of wonder that never becomes fatuous.

Browse dictionary entries near fatuous

  1. fatuity
  2. fatty degeneration
  3. fatty acid
  4. fatty
  5. fattish
  6. fatten
  7. fatso
  8. fatness
  9. fatling
  10. Fatimid
  1. fatwa
  2. fatware
  3. fatwood
  4. faubourg
  5. faucal
  6. fauces
  7. faucet
  8. faugh
  9. Faulkner
  10. fault