foolhardy

adjective

fool·​har·​dy ˈfül-ˌhär-dē How to pronounce foolhardy (audio)
: foolishly adventurous and bold : rash
a foolhardy explorer
foolhardy investors
foolhardily adverb
foolhardiness noun
Choose the Right Synonym for foolhardy

adventurous, venturesome, daring, daredevil, rash, reckless, foolhardy mean exposing oneself to danger more than required by good sense.

adventurous implies a willingness to accept risks but not necessarily imprudence.

adventurous pioneers

venturesome implies a jaunty eagerness for perilous undertakings.

venturesome stunt pilots

daring implies fearlessness in courting danger.

daring mountain climbers

daredevil stresses ostentation in daring.

daredevil motorcyclists

rash suggests imprudence and lack of forethought.

a rash decision

reckless implies heedlessness of probable consequences.

a reckless driver

foolhardy suggests a recklessness that is inconsistent with good sense.

the foolhardy sailor ventured into the storm

Examples of foolhardy in a Sentence

hikers who were foolhardy enough to remain on the summit during a thunderstorm it's foolhardy to go hiking during late fall without warm clothes
Recent Examples on the Web For brands that want people to trust them, shrugging off those social changes is foolhardy. Bynick Rockel, Fortune, 23 Feb. 2024 For a startup trying to bring back the woolly mammoth—or at least something like it—a fable about the dangers of foolhardy scientists messing around with the genetics of long-dead creatures is an obvious reference point. Matt Reynolds, WIRED, 21 Feb. 2024 Republicans don’t need Trump’s nationalism, and would be foolhardy to choose him, because all the other nationalist choices come without his appalling baggage. Hugo Gurdon, Washington Examiner, 12 Jan. 2024 Rather than spend legal resources and privatize public land in a foolhardy attempt to hide the issue of our growing homeless population, the city should actively address the causes of homelessness and take the necessary steps to end this crisis. Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 3 Jan. 2024 Various early attempts to create A.I. had foundered, and the notion that the field was foolhardy had become entrenched in academic departments and software companies. Charles Duhigg, The New Yorker, 1 Dec. 2023 This is a potentially foolhardy approach, because family and friends, especially those in similar professional fields, increase his own network’s reach and relevance. Amy Dickinson, Washington Post, 1 Nov. 2023 For his part, Mr. Netanyahu has bristled at Mr. Biden’s efforts to negotiate a new nuclear agreement with Iran, seeing it as foolhardy. Peter Baker, New York Times, 28 Oct. 2023 That promise, however, could have seemed foolhardy: The location of Moreau Park lent itself to quick escapes, with an interstate — lacking toll cameras — just minutes away. Jesse McKinley, New York Times, 4 Oct. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'foolhardy.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of foolhardy was in the 13th century

Dictionary Entries Near foolhardy

Cite this Entry

“Foolhardy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/foolhardy. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

foolhardy

adjective
fool·​har·​dy ˈfül-ˌhärd-ē How to pronounce foolhardy (audio)
: foolishly adventurous or bold
foolhardily adverb
foolhardiness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on foolhardy

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