1
as in reckless
foolishly adventurous or bold
hikers who were foolhardy enough to remain on the summit during a thunderstorm
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2
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
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Recent Examples of foolhardy
Obsessing over Cabrera’s fastball is foolhardy.
—
Sahadev Sharma, New York Times, 5 Mar. 2026
Though he not-so-subtly scapegoated players, Quinton Byfield the foremost among them, Hiller’s own foolhardy challenge was the initial turning point toward a collapse that saw the Kings downgrade a 2-0 series lead into a 4-2 series loss.
—Andrew Knoll, Daily News, 1 Mar. 2026
Perhaps most impressive is the comedy’s nail-biting opening scene, as Matt and Jay decide to stage a publicity stunt of them leaping from the top of Toronto’s 116-story CN Tower and skydiving into a major baseball stadium, all in a foolhardy attempt to promote the band.
—Patrick Ryan, USA Today, 17 Feb. 2026
History suggests that declaring a front-runner in a presidential campaign nearly three years before Election Day is foolhardy to the point of recklessness.
—Adam Lashinsky, Washington Post, 5 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for foolhardy
Sahadev Sharma, New York Times, 5 Mar. 2026
Though he not-so-subtly scapegoated players, Quinton Byfield the foremost among them, Hiller’s own foolhardy challenge was the initial turning point toward a collapse that saw the Kings downgrade a 2-0 series lead into a 4-2 series loss.
—Andrew Knoll, Daily News, 1 Mar. 2026
Perhaps most impressive is the comedy’s nail-biting opening scene, as Matt and Jay decide to stage a publicity stunt of them leaping from the top of Toronto’s 116-story CN Tower and skydiving into a major baseball stadium, all in a foolhardy attempt to promote the band.
—Patrick Ryan, USA Today, 17 Feb. 2026
History suggests that declaring a front-runner in a presidential campaign nearly three years before Election Day is foolhardy to the point of recklessness.
—Adam Lashinsky, Washington Post, 5 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for foolhardy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for foolhardy
Adjective
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He was charged with seven counts, including first-degree reckless endangering safety and two counts of eluding an officer.—
Sean Joseph OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
17 May 2026
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The spiral of menace is breathtaking as Gary continues to dig them in deeper with his misplaced confidence and reckless moves, and a bone-chilling warning left in the dead of night forces Irwin to bring Hester up to date.—
David Rooney,
HollywoodReporter,
16 May 2026
Adjective
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For the less daring, there are a total of five trails inside the park.—
Marnie Hunter,
CNN Money,
14 May 2026
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The unit famously killed Usama bin Laden in 2011 in a daring raid deep into Pakistan.—
David Hookstead OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
13 May 2026
Adjective
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But a courageous governor, LeRoy Collins, fought his heart out for voting rights and fair apportionment.—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
11 May 2026
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Bolton Hill neighbors react Neighbors called her actions courageous.—
Tara Lynch,
CBS News,
11 May 2026
Adjective
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Instead of wanting to hide her hairstyle, the toddler came home proud of herself for being brave enough to go through with it.—
Tereza Shkurtaj,
PEOPLE,
17 May 2026
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One brave man ignores a greeting.—
Sophie Monks Kaufman,
IndieWire,
16 May 2026
Adjective
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Mira was an amiable baby, a daredevil toddler, and, once Dylan arrived, a menace.—
Anna Wiener,
New Yorker,
4 May 2026
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Children can participate in fishing, particularly on the lake, and daredevil kiddos over eight can try their hand at driving cars at nearby Thruxton Circuit.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
12 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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The adventurous activity allows travelers the chance to come eye-to-eye with a shark from the safety of a cage, from the Galapagos Islands to the Western Cape of South Africa.—
Kristine Hansen,
Travel + Leisure,
14 May 2026
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Un Certain Regard has an excellent track record for this kind of thing — formally adventurous films that leave audiences slightly altered.—
Seth Abramovitch,
HollywoodReporter,
14 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Foolhardy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/foolhardy. Accessed 20 May. 2026.
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