What does befooling mean?
Befooling is the act of deceiving someone — deliberately making a person look foolish or believe something untrue. It is the gerund form of the verb 'befool', a somewhat old-fashioned English verb meaning to dupe or trick. The word carries a mildly literary or archaic tone today, appearing more often in historical texts and classic literature than in casual conversation, where speakers would typically choose 'deceiving', 'tricking', or 'duping' instead. Its connotations are generally negative, implying not just dishonesty but also a certain contempt for the victim's gullibility. Despite its rarity in modern speech, 'befooling' remains a vivid and expressive choice for writers who want to emphasize the humiliation inherent in being deceived — the sense that the deceiver has not merely lied, but has actively turned their target into a laughingstock. It should not be confused with 'befouling', which refers to making something physically dirty rather than intellectually duped.
The act of deceiving someone or making them appear foolish; deception or trickery directed at a person.
"The play satirizes the befooling of naive country folk by smooth-talking city swindlers."
Typically functions as a gerund derived from the verb 'befool'; somewhat formal or literary in register.
Present participle of 'befool': to deceive or make a fool of someone.
"He was befooling the crowd with tall tales about his adventures overseas."
Rarely used in the plural, as the act of deception is usually treated as an uncountable mass noun. A plural form would appear only when referring to multiple distinct instances of deception.
"His long history of befoolings finally earned him a reputation no one trusted."
One vowel apart from 'befouling', but only one of them leaves you feeling dirty — and it isn't the one about mud.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of befooling
Befooling derives from the verb 'befool', formed from the prefix 'be-' attached to 'fool', a word that entered English from Old French 'fol' in the Middle Ages. The construction follows a productive English pattern in which 'be-' creates verbs meaning to treat someone or something as described by the root word. Befool itself is attested from around the early 17th century, used by writers such as Shakespeare's contemporaries to mean to make a fool of or deceive someone.
Related word forms
How befooling is actually used
A somewhat dated or literary word, most often encountered as the gerund form of the verb 'befool'. It carries a slightly archaic flavor compared to everyday alternatives like 'deceiving' or 'tricking'.
Easily confused with befooling
'Befouling' means making something filthy or dirty, while 'befooling' means deceiving someone — they differ by one letter and one vowel sound.