foolhardy
adjective
Synonyms
- audacious
- brash
- daredevil
- madcap
- overbold
- overconfident
- reckless
- temerarious
Example Sentences
Nate Atkins, The Indianapolis Star, 7 Sep. 2022 The Cardinals – and Jordan Montgomery – get an immediate chance to show that was a foolhardy maneuver. Gabe Lacques, USA TODAY, 5 Aug. 2022 China’s real-estate market, Xi Jinping is attempting to ride a tiger—to maintain power while clinging to the foolhardy policies that put him in this position. David Asher, WSJ, 3 Aug. 2022 Gordon argued that automakers are tackling U.S. battery production at the right time and any earlier could have been a foolhardy move. Bymorgan Korn, ABC News, 16 July 2022 In a foolhardy effort to spur party unity, the Bush forces offered the fire-breathing columnist a prime-time speaking slot at the Republican National Convention in Houston. Walter Shapiro, The New Republic, 27 June 2022 Any other of these preposterously wild and unsubstantiated snowballing exclamations are purely knee-jerk reactions and regrettably foolish and outrightly foolhardy. Lance Eliot, Forbes, 15 June 2022 Nevertheless, this is where Democratic extremism has taken the party, and this foolhardy vote tonight will do Americans the favor of exposing exactly how committed national Democrats are to this barbarous position. Alexandra Desanctis, National Review, 28 Feb. 2022 Should Putin be so foolhardy as to go further with his aggression, an attack on one NATO member would be treated as an attack on all. Mary Ellen O'connell, CNN, 24 Feb. 2022 See More Word History
13th century, in the meaning defined above
Kids Definition
foolhardy
adjective
foolhardy
adjective
Synonyms & Similar Words
- reckless
- brave
- courageous
- daredevil
- adventurous
- daring
- audacious
- foolish
- overconfident
- madcap
- heroic
- overbold
- temerarious
- fearless
- impulsive
- brash
- imprudent
- careless
- gallant
- heroical
- valiant
- intrepid
- undaunted
- impetuous
- adventuresome
- venturous
- dauntless
- venturesome
- hardy
- valorous
- gutsy
- incautious
- rash
- thoughtless
- hotheaded
- bold
- lionhearted
- stouthearted
- manful
- hasty
- doughty
- heedless
- harebrained
- stalwart
- headlong
- scatterbrained
- stout
- undauntable
- brainless
- greathearted
- precipitate
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- prudent
- cautious
- careful
- safe
- wary
- circumspect
- timid
- fearful
- guarded
- unambitious
- heedful
- scary
- unadventurous
- timorous
- sensible
- shy
- fainthearted
- skittish
- cool
- calm
- intelligent
- mousy
- levelheaded
- cowardly
- pusillanimous
- alert
- sharp
- craven
- dastardly
- unheroic
- yellow
- spineless
- mousey
- recreant
- quick-witted
- chicken
- lily-livered
- chickenhearted
Synonyms & Similar Words
- reckless
- daring
- irresponsible
- daredevil
- adventurous
- careless
- bold
- nonchalant
- kamikaze
- harum-scarum
- impetuous
- audacious
- hasty
- wild
- rash
- venturesome
- devil-may-care
- hell-for-leather
- hotheaded
- headlong
- madcap
- thoughtless
- incautious
- carefree
- feckless
- heedless
- precipitate
- unconcerned
- unthinking
- inconsiderate
- inattentive
- unmindful
- unheeding
- regardless
- blithe
- unworried
- freewheeling
- mindless
- slaphappy
- happy-go-lucky
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- cautious
- responsible
- careful
- circumspect
- timid
- overcautious
- heedful
- overcareful
Synonym Chooser
Some common synonyms of foolhardy are adventurous, daredevil, daring, rash, reckless, and venturesome. While all these words mean "exposing oneself to danger more than required by good sense," foolhardy suggests a recklessness that is inconsistent with good sense.
The meanings of adventurous and foolhardy largely overlap; however, adventurous implies a willingness to accept risks but not necessarily imprudence.
The words daredevil and foolhardy can be used in similar contexts, but daredevil stresses ostentation in daring.
The words daring and foolhardy are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, daring implies fearlessness in courting danger.
In some situations, the words rash and foolhardy are roughly equivalent. However, rash suggests imprudence and lack of forethought.
While in some cases nearly identical to foolhardy, reckless implies heedlessness of probable consequences.
While the synonyms venturesome and foolhardy are close in meaning, venturesome implies a jaunty eagerness for perilous undertakings.