tomfool: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C2Informal, Dated/Literary
Quick answer
What does “tomfool” mean?
A very foolish person.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A very foolish person; a silly or stupid individual.
Can describe an act of great foolishness or be used attributively to describe something absurdly foolish.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
More likely to be encountered in British English, often in historical contexts or period dramas. In American English, it is understood but rare, sounding archaic or consciously literary.
Connotations
In both varieties, it is somewhat old-fashioned. Can sound humorous or deliberately quaint when used today.
Frequency
Very low frequency in modern speech for both, but slightly higher passive recognition in BrE.
Grammar
How to Use “tomfool” in a Sentence
[be/act like] a tomfoolutter/absolute tomfool of a [man/woman/person]tomfool [behaviour (BrE)/behavior (AmE)/antics/ideas]Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “tomfool” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- Stop tomfooling about and get to work!
- He spent the afternoon tomfooling with that broken radio.
American English
- Quit tomfooling around, we're late!
- They were just tomfooling and didn't mean any harm.
adverb
British English
- (Rarely used. 'Tomfoolishly' is the derived form) He behaved tomfoolishly.
American English
- (Rarely used. 'Tomfoolishly' is the derived form) He acted tomfoolishly.
adjective
British English
- That was a tomfool idea from the start.
- I won't listen to his tomfool schemes.
American English
- She got tired of his tomfool antics.
- It was a tomfool plan bound to fail.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Virtually never used. Would be considered highly inappropriate and unprofessional.
Academic
Extremely rare, except perhaps in historical or literary analysis discussing character or dialogue.
Everyday
Rare. If used, it is for humorous or emphatic effect, often by older speakers.
Technical
Not applicable.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “tomfool”
- Using it as a modern, casual insult (sounds archaic). Confusing it with 'tomfoolery' (the noun for foolish behaviour).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it is considered dated or literary. Most modern speakers would use 'idiot', 'fool', or 'moron' for a similar meaning.
'Tomfool' is a noun for a foolish person. 'Tomfoolery' is a noun meaning silly or foolish behaviour.
Yes, though it's rare. 'To tomfool' or more commonly 'to tomfool around/about' means to act foolishly or play the fool.
It is less harsh and more old-fashioned than many modern insults like 'idiot'. It often carries a sense of affectionate exasperation rather than vicious contempt, though calling someone a fool is never complimentary.
A very foolish person.
Tomfool is usually informal, dated/literary in register.
Tomfool: in British English it is pronounced /ˌtɒmˈfuːl/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌtɑːmˈfuːl/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “play the tomfool”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of 'Tom' as a generic name (like 'Tom, Dick, or Harry') + 'fool'. It's the archetypal foolish person named Tom.
Conceptual Metaphor
FOOLISHNESS IS A PERSON (Personification of a foolish trait).
Practice
Quiz
In which context would 'tomfool' be LEAST appropriate?