FOOLHARDY Synonyms: 114 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How does the adjective 'foolhardy' contrast with its synonyms?

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 foolhardy sailor ventured into the storm

Q: Where would 'adventurous' be a reasonable alternative to 'foolhardy'?

The meanings of adventurous and foolhardy largely overlap; however, adventurous implies a willingness to accept risks but not necessarily imprudence. // adventurous pioneers

Q: When is 'daredevil' a more appropriate choice than 'foolhardy'?

The words daredevil and foolhardy can be used in similar contexts, but daredevil stresses ostentation in daring. // daredevil motorcyclists

Q: When would 'daring' be a good substitute for 'foolhardy'?

The words daring and foolhardy are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, daring implies fearlessness in courting danger. // daring mountain climbers

Q: When might 'rash' be a better fit than 'foolhardy'?

In some situations, the words rash and foolhardy are roughly equivalent. However, rash suggests imprudence and lack of forethought. // a rash decision

Q: When can 'reckless' be used instead of 'foolhardy'?

While in some cases nearly identical to foolhardy , reckless implies heedlessness of probable consequences. // a reckless driver

Q: When is it sensible to use 'venturesome' instead of 'foolhardy'?

While the synonyms venturesome and foolhardy are close in meaning, venturesome implies a jaunty eagerness for perilous undertakings. // venturesome stunt pilots

foolhardy

adjective

ˈfül-ˌhär-dē

Definition of foolhardy next

as in reckless

foolishly adventurous or bold hikers who were foolhardy enough to remain on the summit during a thunderstorm

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in daring

having or showing a lack of concern for the consequences of one's actions it's foolhardy to go hiking during late fall without warm clothes

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective foolhardy contrast with its synonyms?

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 foolhardy sailor ventured into the storm

Where would adventurous be a reasonable alternative to foolhardy?

The meanings of adventurous and foolhardy largely overlap; however, adventurous implies a willingness to accept risks but not necessarily imprudence.

adventurous pioneers

When is daredevil a more appropriate choice than foolhardy?

The words daredevil and foolhardy can be used in similar contexts, but daredevil stresses ostentation in daring.

daredevil motorcyclists

When would daring be a good substitute for foolhardy?

The words daring and foolhardy are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, daring implies fearlessness in courting danger.

daring mountain climbers

When might rash be a better fit than foolhardy?

In some situations, the words rash and foolhardy are roughly equivalent. However, rash suggests imprudence and lack of forethought.

a rash decision

When can reckless be used instead of foolhardy?

While in some cases nearly identical to foolhardy, reckless implies heedlessness of probable consequences.

a reckless driver

When is it sensible to use venturesome instead of foolhardy?

While the synonyms venturesome and foolhardy are close in meaning, venturesome implies a jaunty eagerness for perilous undertakings.

venturesome stunt pilots

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of foolhardy To ask the most American of movie stars to play this iconic English figure was foolhardy, and his down-to-earth authenticity gets him nowhere in the role. —

Will Leitch, Vulture, 1 July 2024 Overshadowing the endorsement was a foolhardy rhetorical flourish that insulted key voting blocs courted by the Republican nominee in his campaign against the Democratic nominee, New York Governor Grover Cleveland. —

Robert B. Mitchell / Made By History, TIME, 24 Oct. 2024 An empathy gap is obvious in online commenters who suggest, for example, that flood victims earned their fate through the foolhardy choice to live near water, that earthquake victims shouldn’t have lived near fault lines, and so on. —

Hazlitt, 23 Oct. 2024 And if even one state’s bioweapons program experimented with extinction-level pathogens—perhaps on a foolhardy quest to develop the ultimate deterrent—the next laboratory accident could precipitate a global pandemic much worse than that of COVID-19. —

William MacAskill, Foreign Affairs, 11 Aug. 2022 See all Example Sentences for foolhardy

Recent Examples of Synonyms for foolhardy

Adjective

As with much of U.S. politics right now, Texas v Becerra feels like a reckless attempt to pull us back to a former time.

— Rebekah Taussig, TIME, 19 Feb. 2025
After reviewing the police investigation, the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office approved one count of reckless homicide, a Class 3 felony, against Lopez, Barrington police said.

— Pioneer Press, Chicago Tribune, 18 Feb. 2025