foolhardy

adjective

fool·​har·​dy ˈfül-ˌhär-dē 

: foolishly adventurous and bold : rash

a foolhardy explorer

foolhardy investors

foolhardily

ˈfül-ˌhär-dᵊl-ē 

adverb

foolhardiness

ˈfül-ˌhär-dē-nəs 

noun

Synonyms of foolhardy

• reckless
• courageous
• brave
• daredevil
• adventurous

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

Under the sheer size of that fallout, only five more teams sat between Florida and a bowl berth, which would seem to be a foolhardy suggestion after the season the Gators had. —Noah White, Miami Herald, 14 Dec. 2025

The filmmaker’s passion for foolhardy underdogs and train-wreck charmers electrifies this tale of a postwar striver (an unbelievable Timothée Chalamet) trying to make his name in table tennis. —David Sims, The Atlantic, 9 Dec. 2025

Instead, the town has been put under military quarantine, occupied by the same foolhardy industrial complex that started this whole mess in the first place. —Alison Herman, Variety, 27 Nov. 2025

There is another reason why lifting the deposit insurance limits is foolhardy. —Stephen Moore, Boston Herald, 29 Oct. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for foolhardy

• sephardi
• hardie
• lardy
• pardy
• tardy

Kids Definition

foolhardy

adjective

fool·​har·​dy ˈfül-ˌhärd-ē 

: foolishly adventurous or bold

foolhardily

-ˌhärd-ᵊl-ē 

adverb

foolhardiness

-ˌhärd-ē-nəs 

noun