1
as in goofy
lacking in seriousness or maturity
the movie follows the harebrained antics of a pair of stoners who seem incapable of growing up
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in foolish
showing or marked by a lack of good sense or judgment
a harebrained idea to go for a hike in an area where grizzly bear attacks had recently been reported
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of harebrained
Here are some methods for scraping good music from the data wasteland, organized in a hierarchy from bottom-feeder basics to more sophisticated and ultimately, uhh, harebrained strategies.
—
Kieran Press-Reynolds, Pitchfork, 31 July 2025
More harebrained projects follow, and the family’s tilting house finally tumbles after neighbors and acquaintances slowly chip away at the building to repurpose many of the structure’s materials.
—Anita Snow, Boston Herald, 25 July 2025
Cuomo staying in the race could make for the most unpredictable, harebrained mayoral election that New York has had since 1977.
—Amanda Petrusich, New Yorker, 3 July 2025
One of Steve’s harebrained schemes involves founding a movie theater speakeasy, for which the film-loving pair decides to pinch the private print at the following week’s engagement.
—Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 26 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for harebrained
Kieran Press-Reynolds, Pitchfork, 31 July 2025
More harebrained projects follow, and the family’s tilting house finally tumbles after neighbors and acquaintances slowly chip away at the building to repurpose many of the structure’s materials.
—Anita Snow, Boston Herald, 25 July 2025
Cuomo staying in the race could make for the most unpredictable, harebrained mayoral election that New York has had since 1977.
—Amanda Petrusich, New Yorker, 3 July 2025
One of Steve’s harebrained schemes involves founding a movie theater speakeasy, for which the film-loving pair decides to pinch the private print at the following week’s engagement.
—Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 26 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for harebrained
Recent Examples of Synonyms for harebrained
Adjective
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Plus, the movie is simply too goofy and good-natured for any of its feminist agitation to land.—
Peter Tonguette,
The Washington Examiner,
13 Mar. 2026
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As inherently goofy as the practice is—imagine Andy Reid pacing the sidelines in full shoulder-pads-and-helmet regalia, or Mike Brown rocking shorts and a tank top at the Garden—baseball would be diminished in some small way if the managers decided to start wearing street clothes.—
Anthony Crupi,
Sportico.com,
13 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Instead of simply challenging the more foolish of those woke policies, our federal and state governments seem hell bent on obliterating any activity that even hints of DEI.—
Maurice O'Sullivan,
The Orlando Sentinel,
11 Mar. 2026
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This kind of talk is also politically foolish and risks alienating the many Americans who already distrust this war.—
The Editorial Board,
Chicago Tribune,
11 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Just cultivating and just feeding that division and those just absolute silly fights.—
Ed Masley,
AZCentral.com,
13 Mar. 2026
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The point is not to sell her business, not to get more followers, not to create a cult of her own; the point is looking at interpersonal dynamics, getting into conflicts, resuming those conflicts, and then sometimes doing silly things after drinking too much rosé.—
Brian Moylan,
Vulture,
13 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
End these stupid, senseless wars.—
Dave Goldiner,
New York Daily News,
11 Mar. 2026
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Most of the films that came after are ridiculous and stupid.—
Brent Lang,
Variety,
11 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Even with the spotlight, Méndez said the debate feels futile.—
Karissa Waddick,
USA Today,
14 Mar. 2026
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Even subtle futile cycles – processes in which molecules are repeatedly built and broken down – consume energy and generate heat.—
Claudio Villanueva,
The Conversation,
11 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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The government thinks this is absurd.—
Gideon Lewis-Kraus,
New Yorker,
14 Mar. 2026
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The movie is also surreal, absurd and crowd-pleasingly funny.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
13 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Sharing the screen only took their bromance to the next level—and gave way to a giddy press tour that spotlighted their bond.—
Lara Walsh,
InStyle,
15 Mar. 2026
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Weapons‘ Amy Madigan was giddy to have prevailed in the Best Supporting Actress race at the 98th Academy Awards on Sunday.—
Katie Campione,
Deadline,
15 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Stewie’s miserable, the other kids are miserable, and even the turtle is miserable… until Stewie begins rolling out his trusty array of devices to take them anywhere in space and time, turning every boring day at school into an insane and surreal adventure.—
Nellie Andreeva,
Deadline,
12 Mar. 2026
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But Sean Penn was so out there and insane.—
Anne Thompson,
IndieWire,
11 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Harebrained.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/harebrained. Accessed 18 Mar. 2026.
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