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harebrained

harebrained

10 8.5
An idea or plan that is very foolish and not well thought out
  • adjective
  • /ˈhɛrˌbreɪnd/
  • Informal
translation icon : descabellado
  • We are blessed with two fantastic families behind us, who support us no matter how harebrained our latest scheme seems.
  • harebrained scheme

But I mean, the most harebrained kind of craziness you can imagine.

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Examples

  • I'm not going along with this harebrained scheme, and that's final.

    Fiction book (1992)
  • So just think about that before getting involved in this harebrained scheme.

  • Over a year and a half ago we had the harebrained idea.

  • Of all the stupid, harebrained things to do.

  • No, and it's not some harebrained scheme that I cooked up with my friends.

  • One of his more harebrained schemes was to buy up a fleet of old World War One ships.

  • Susan, I will not be involved in any more of your harebrained schemes.

  • Are conservatives doomed to be the laughingstock of the nation with their harebrained ideas?

    Blog text (17)
  • Peter Molyneux's harebrained pitches are dreamy-eyed fantasies that will never come to pass.

    Blog text (24)
  • My parents have this harebrained idea about inviting an exchange student to come live with us.

Synonyms

foolish
vsharebrained
505 1.3

Not showing good sense and making unwise choices

is stronger, adding recklessness and ill consideration to that general lack of sense
mad
vsharebrained
  • Informal
234 3.3

Very foolish and not sensible

adds a stronger sense of recklessness and ill consideration to that foolishness
insane
vsharebrained
  • Offensive
184 4.1

Very foolish and risky because of bad judgment

focuses more on poor planning and ill consideration as causes
wild
vsharebrained
170 4.2

Risky or not likely to work

leans more toward reckless and ill-considered acts rather than just unconventionality
foolhardy
vsharebrained
16 7.4

Taking dangerous risks without thinking about what will happen

is similar but emphasizes foolishness and poor planning more than boldness
cockeyed
vsharebrained
  • Informal
4 8.9

A foolish idea or plan that will not work

is closer to dangerous or ill-planned actions rather than mere absurdity
misbegotten
vsharebrained
3 8.5

Badly planned and made in a foolish way

is similar but highlights rashness and recklessness over just poor conception
crackbrained
vsharebrained
  • Offensive
1 9.9

Very foolish and not sensible or responsible

is more about risky recklessness and poor planning rather than just impracticality
lamebrained
vsharebrained
  • Offensive
1 8.4

Very silly and not showing good sense

stresses dangerous recklessness and ill-considered planning rather than mere silliness
wild-eyed
vsharebrained
1 8.0

Having very extreme ideas or plans that are unlikely to work

adds a sense of rash danger and poor judgement to those extremes
meshugga
vsharebrained
  • Slang
9.9

Acting very silly and not thinking clearly

is more formal and emphasizes reckless, ill-considered planning rather than informality
featherbrained
vsharebrained
  • Offensive
8.3

Not serious and likely to make bad choices

is graver, pointing to risky, ill-considered plans rather than light silliness
featherheaded
vsharebrained
  • Offensive
8.1

Too silly and not careful about important things

carries more weight of recklessness and harmful poor planning than mere thoughtlessness
rattlebrained
vsharebrained
  • Offensive
9.9

Not able to think clearly and often doing silly things

focuses more on reckless, ill-considered plans rather than absent concentration

Antonyms

201 2.7

Showing good judgment and making practical choices

94 6.2

Being careful and thinking ahead when you make decisions

How Foolish

ridiculous
1.6
harebrained
  • Informal
10 8.5
foolish
505 1.3
silly
976 1.0

Surface Forms

harebrained positive

Morphology

harebrained = hare + brained (semi-transparent) = hare + brain + ed

Formally a compound of 'hare' + 'brained' whose metaphorical meaning 'foolish' is understandable from the parts but is idiomatic and may not be obvious to all learners.

Etymology

Harebrained comes from putting hare and brained together, suggesting the 'small' or 'quick' brain of a hare. So a harebrained idea is one that is very foolish or reckless because it was not thought through.