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
Khrushchev’s harebrained scheme involved transporting medium- and intermediate-range nuclear missiles by ship to Cuba, while somehow managing to avoid detection by NATO.
—
Timothy Naftali, Foreign Affairs, 16 Nov. 2022
However, there is a certain charm to the harebrained things that got greenlit in the age of Aqua Net and leg warmers.
—Tim Moffatt, EW.com, 20 May 2024
In the first season, Lance is Brooke’s loser boyfriend, who is always pitching harebrained ideas for custom sneakers.
—Phillip MacIak, The New Republic, 9 June 2023
Only the steeliest of investors would dare become an entrepreneur in this economy; wannabe investors cling on to solid careers rather than risk it all for some harebrained cash grab.
—Robert Stevens, Fortune, 1 Nov. 2022
See All Example Sentences for harebrained
Timothy Naftali, Foreign Affairs, 16 Nov. 2022
However, there is a certain charm to the harebrained things that got greenlit in the age of Aqua Net and leg warmers.
—Tim Moffatt, EW.com, 20 May 2024
In the first season, Lance is Brooke’s loser boyfriend, who is always pitching harebrained ideas for custom sneakers.
—Phillip MacIak, The New Republic, 9 June 2023
Only the steeliest of investors would dare become an entrepreneur in this economy; wannabe investors cling on to solid careers rather than risk it all for some harebrained cash grab.
—Robert Stevens, Fortune, 1 Nov. 2022
See All Example Sentences for harebrained
Recent Examples of Synonyms for harebrained
Adjective
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Able to be goofy, which is the opposite of what a lot of Black women are portrayed as on television.—
Angelique Jackson,
Variety,
23 Feb. 2025
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The dialogue is goofy, but that comes with the territory of a story that has this much explanation to get through.—
Rafaela Bassili,
Vulture,
20 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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Miami would be foolish to hold onto him as the team still looks to be multiple years away from contending for a postseason berth.—
Mark Joseph,
Newsweek,
23 Feb. 2025
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Currently 44-10 | On pace for 67-15 Underestimating the Cavs has proven to be a foolish practice this season.—
Zach Harper,
The Athletic,
19 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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My long-distance boyfriend often addressed letters with silly names or in-jokes.—
A.S. King,
TIME,
21 Feb. 2025
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Taking the material beyond its original audience of one, the writer-director offers a delicious mélange of the surreal and the silly for all ages.—
Sheri Linden,
The Hollywood Reporter,
20 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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Thank you Hallie for thinking of me and putting my name in your stupid brother's ear.—
Maureen Lee Lenker,
EW.com,
24 Feb. 2025
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That would have been a stupid question just about anywhere else, but the exhibition was by Laura Owens, a painter with a penchant for trickery, and the venue was Matthew Marks Gallery in New York, whose press release for Owens’s latest outing offered little in the way of explanation.—
Alex Greenberger,
ARTnews.com,
24 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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Any reconstruction effort would be futile if a fragile ceasefire in Gaza fails, plunging the territory back to war.—
Mostafa Salem,
CNN,
21 Feb. 2025
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Since kids learn by example, Winston notes that telling kids to put down their phones is futile if parents don’t do the same.—
Melissa Willets,
Parents,
10 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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To even suggest that my clients were somehow resistant to other points of view, acted secretly and/or abusively or threatened anyone’s job is patently false and frankly absurd.—
Peter White,
Deadline,
21 Feb. 2025
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The notion that nonprofits or donors will pick up the financial slack is absurd.—
Orlando Sentinel and South Florida Sun Sentinel Editorial Boards,
Orlando Sentinel,
20 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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The walls were giddy with patterned paper and hung with vintage portraits of busty women.—
Julie Lasky,
New York Times,
21 Feb. 2025
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As for the Democrats, their marching in defense of a regime change tool that Trump's base is giddy to destroy is extraordinary, but unsurprising.—
Dan Perry,
Newsweek,
13 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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While Nigerians are upset with economic conditions, most are not mad at Dangote.—
John Hyatt,
Forbes,
17 Feb. 2025
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Why, for instance, is the hot middle-aged dad, Eric (Scott Foley), so incredibly mad at his 20-something daughter, Olivia (Maia Reficco), for wanting to purchase a literal villa in Italy for the whopping price of one euro?—
Alissa Wilkinson,
New York Times,
13 Feb. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Harebrained.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/harebrained. Accessed 3 Mar. 2025.
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