Word: fatuous (adjective)

Associations

"Fatuous" means silly or stupid in a way that shows a lack of intelligence or awareness. It often describes behavior, remarks, or ideas that are foolish but without bad intention.

• He made a fatuous comment during the meeting. (The comment was silly and showed little thought.)
• It was fatuous to believe the story without checking facts. (The belief was foolish.)
• The movie was full of fatuous jokes that didn’t make sense. (The jokes were silly and not smart.)

Synonym: "foolish"
Difference: "Foolish" is more general and can describe any lack of good sense. "Fatuous" usually implies a more annoying or pointless silliness, sometimes with a sense of being smug or unaware.

Substitution

You can use words like:

• silly (less formal, more common)
• foolish (more general)
• idiotic (stronger, more insulting)
• brainless (informal, rude) Each substitution changes the tone: "fatuous" sounds more formal and slightly literary, while "silly" is lighter and "idiotic" is harsher.

Deconstruction

"Fatuous" comes from Latin "fatuus," meaning "foolish" or "stupid."
No prefix or suffix here; the whole word means foolish or stupid in a somewhat annoying way.

Inquiry

• Can you think of a time when someone said something fatuous? How did it affect the situation?
• How is "fatuous" different from just being funny or silly?
• Why do you think people use "fatuous" instead of simpler words like "silly"?