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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 Moynihan stars in Fixed as Lucky, an anxious beagle that's not quite as foolhardy as his pals. Randall Colburn, EW.com, 14 Aug. 2025 But the move would be foolhardy for a largely untested navy. Kerry Brown, Time, 29 July 2025 This seems foolhardy and seems misguided, mainly because there is a perception among a handful of people that this is somehow a blue or a left wing thing when this is the place that for 32 years gave William F. Buckley a show. CBS News, 6 July 2025 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 See All Example Sentences for foolhardy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for foolhardy
Adjective
  • Critics lambasted those policies as impractical at best, reckless at worst.
    Philip Elliott, Time, 5 Nov. 2025
  • These reckless policies have deadly consequences.
    Dan Gooding, MSNBC Newsweek, 5 Nov. 2025
Adjective
  • Rae’s dress featured a dramatic deep V neckline and nude illusion mesh straps that create a daring contrast against the gown’s sleek black fabric.
    Renan Botelho, Footwear News, 3 Nov. 2025
  • Her nude mani was rounded but with a square tip, which is the perfect mix between elegant and daring.
    Ana Serrano, Glamour, 28 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • But in Podnieks’ own country, he was celebrated and respected as a rare source of truth telling and courageous reporting on a world that was changing fast.
    Will Tizard, Variety, 2 Nov. 2025
  • What People Are Saying Thanks to the courageous survivors of Epstein's abuse, justice is coming to Andrew.
    Robert Alexander, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • For me, it’s been really essential to read a lot of great information, and to come at the world filled with knowledge and all these ideas of, in my view, much smarter and braver people than myself.
    Fiction Non Fiction, Literary Hub, 23 Oct. 2025
  • For those brave scientists who study snakes–aka herpetologists–the mechanics behind the reptiles’ fast fangs are more fascinating than fear-inducing.
    Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 23 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • Nixon has built a reputation on social media for being a daredevil pilot with clips on his Instagram often showing him performing stunts in helicopters, including low-level sprints, sharp turns and risky maneuvers while in the air, PEOPLE previously reported.
    Madison E. Goldberg, PEOPLE, 21 Oct. 2025
  • The first season followed 17-year-old Ethan (Cantona James) seeking a way out of the Southside’s bloody cycle of gang violence through spinning, a South African extreme motorsport that features drivers performing daredevil stunts.
    Elsa Keslassy, Variety, 9 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • Her adventurous spirit never dimmed.
    Stephanie Giang-Paunon, FOXNews.com, 25 Oct. 2025
  • Miguel kick-started his career with his adventurous 2012 debut, Kaleidoscope Dream, an LP that mixed rock, soul, and psychedelia into a freewheeling sound he’s been nuancing ever since, often in music that’s taken on a moodier, more anxious tone.
    Jon Dolan, Rolling Stone, 24 Oct. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Foolhardy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/foolhardy. Accessed 8 Nov. 2025.

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