play the fool

Idioms and Phrases

Act in a silly or stupid way, as in Helen deliberately played the fool so they wouldn't realize she understood their strategy . [First half of 1500s]

Example Sentences

Screenwriter/director Cord Jefferson’s adaptation of real USC English professor Percival Everett’s novel “Erasure” affords Emmy-winner Wright endless opportunities to highlight the intelligence he always brings to his work, as well as to play the fool.

From Los Angeles Times

“Gotta go put on that uniform, and go out there and play the fool.”

From New York Times

D’Lo tells a story about a “Super Aunty,” who cautioned him at the commitment ceremony, “You can get drunk, ah? But don’t play the fool.”

From Los Angeles Times

It’s very easy in the game, for instance, to irritate the wife, and it’s simple for the husband to play the fool, but if one lets go of the idea of the ticking clock and approaches “Twelve Minutes” with patience, conversations between the characters gradually take on a more thoughtful air.

From Los Angeles Times

“I am pleading with you. Let us not take this hurricane lightly. This is not the time to play the fool.”

From Washington Post