foolish excuse

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "foolish excuse" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to describe an excuse that is perceived as unreasonable or lacking in credibility. Example: "His claim that he missed the meeting due to a flat tire was seen as a foolish excuse by his colleagues."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

What a foolish excuse!

Huffington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

59 human-written examples

It is foolish for the "No Excuses" report to suggest that if some schools in such places succeed, schools with much poorer children who have multiple social and economic problems can too.

The New York Times

I'm so tired of "whimsical" being equated to "mythic" and "classic characters" becoming an excuse for poor game play and foolish stories.

TechCrunch

IT is easy to assume, given recent history, that all financial innovations are a mistake, an excuse for smart bankers to rip off foolish clients.

The Economist

Both the hawks and the doves suspect that Saddam Hussein will fairly soon do something foolish enough to provide his would-be disarmers with a cast-iron excuse to enforce their will.

The Economist

Yet for anyone to justify the murder and mutilation of journalists under any excuses, e.g. to teach them a lesson or silence them, is near collusion in those foolish and despicable murders.

Huffington Post

Foolish, foolish idea.

The New York Times

Foolish is as foolish does.

The New York Times

Foolish, perhaps.

The New York Times - Sports

Stay foolish".

The New York Times

Foolish; sad.

The New Yorker

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "foolish excuse", ensure the context clearly demonstrates the excuse's lack of credibility or reasonableness to effectively convey your intended meaning.

Common error

While "foolish excuse" is acceptable, avoid overuse in formal writing where more professional terms like "untenable justification" or "implausible explanation" would be more suitable.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "foolish excuse" functions primarily as a noun phrase, where "foolish" is an adjective modifying the noun "excuse". It serves to describe a particular type of excuse characterized by its lack of credibility or reasonableness, as exemplified by Ludwig's examples.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

100%

Less common in

Science

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Unknown

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "foolish excuse" is a grammatically correct and usable English expression used to describe an excuse that is perceived as unreasonable, illogical, or lacking credibility. Ludwig confirms its validity. While considered rare in overall usage, it's primarily found in News & Media contexts. The phrase serves to express disapproval or criticism. Semantically related alternatives include "lame excuse" and "weak alibi". To avoid misuse, consider the formality of the context and ensure the phrase accurately reflects the intended degree of absurdity in the excuse.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

silly excuse

Highlights the lack of seriousness and the triviality of the explanation.

lame excuse

Emphasizes the unconvincing and inadequate nature of the given reason.

pathetic excuse

Stresses the inadequacy and pitiable nature of the given explanation.

weak alibi

Focuses on the lack of strength or believability in the given explanation.

flimsy excuse

Highlights the fragility and lack of substance in the given reason.

feeble justification

Highlights the lack of strength and persuasiveness in the provided justification.

unconvincing alibi

Focuses on the failure to persuade or convince through the given explanation.

ridiculous pretext

Focuses on the absurdity and unreasonableness of the stated reason.

absurd justification

Emphasizes the illogical or unreasonable nature of the justification.

implausible reason

Focuses on the difficulty in believing or accepting the given reason.

FAQs

How can I use "foolish excuse" in a sentence?

You can use "foolish excuse" to describe a justification that is easily seen as unreasonable or lacking credibility. For example: "His claim that he missed the deadline due to a power outage was a "foolish excuse", as the power company confirmed there were no outages in the area."

What are some alternatives to "foolish excuse"?

Alternatives to "foolish excuse" include "lame excuse", "weak alibi", or "ridiculous pretext". The best choice depends on the specific nuance you want to convey.

What makes an excuse a "foolish excuse"?

An excuse becomes a "foolish excuse" when it's obviously untrue, illogical, or easily disproven. It's an excuse that lacks any real substance or validity.

Is there a difference between "foolish excuse" and "bad excuse"?

While both describe a poor justification, "foolish excuse" implies a higher degree of absurdity or lack of intelligence in the excuse. A "bad excuse" might simply be unconvincing, while a "foolish excuse" is almost laughable in its inadequacy.