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
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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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Examples of harebrained in a Sentence
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Recent Examples on the Web
In the first season, Lance is Brooke’s loser boyfriend, who is always pitching harebrained ideas for custom sneakers.
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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
Climate policy is not some kind of utopian lefty scheme put forward by harebrained hippies; it's meant to deal with a screaming emergency that threatens all humanity, very much including Americans.
—Ryan Cooper, The Week, 11 June 2021
On the wholesome 1990s sitcom, Diamond embodied the ultimate yes-man sidekick who executed preppy Zack Morris’ most harebrained ideas.
—Los Angeles Times, 17 Dec. 2021
See all Example Sentences for harebrained 
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
Climate policy is not some kind of utopian lefty scheme put forward by harebrained hippies; it's meant to deal with a screaming emergency that threatens all humanity, very much including Americans.
—Ryan Cooper, The Week, 11 June 2021
On the wholesome 1990s sitcom, Diamond embodied the ultimate yes-man sidekick who executed preppy Zack Morris’ most harebrained ideas.
—Los Angeles Times, 17 Dec. 2021
See all Example Sentences for harebrained
Recent Examples of Synonyms for harebrained
Adjective
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This story of a man (Hanks) who decides to kill himself by throwing himself into a volcano before being interrupted by a series of increasingly odd events has its own goofy rhythm that Hanks steadies and smooths out, though maybe a little too much.Tim Grierson, Vulture, 2 Nov. 2024
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Drew Barrymore and the crew from The Talk also opted for goofy than spooky, with the Scream alum dressing up as the Queen of Halloween as The Talk hosts paid homage to some pop culture icons.Stephanie Sengwe, People.com, 31 Oct. 2024
Adjective
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Ignoring its naval implications — off the coast of Yemen, for example — would be foolish.Colin Demarest, Axios, 30 Oct. 2024
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For one country to blindly follow the interests of another is foolish at best and malfeasance at worst.Nina Turner, Newsweek, 29 Oct. 2024
Adjective
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But while the 118 is able to save both Celeste and her mother-in-law’s final resting place, a smug Trent trips and drops the vase, an appropriate punchline to a very silly cold open.Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 7 Nov. 2024
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Read more Today's talkers Take a break from the election with these silly, happy shows.Nicole Fallert, USA TODAY, 5 Nov. 2024
Adjective
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Sofia has taken Francis, and Sal Maroni is right on her heels with a bunch of his goons to give Oz a few whacks with one of his own stupid golf clubs, then down to the trolley station to take over the Bliss operation.Andy Andersen, Vulture, 3 Nov. 2024
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The risk, of course, is that the North Koreans will learn what those Russian marines learned recently: that their commanders are cruel, ignorant or both—and that following stupid orders from uncaring officers is bad for your health.David Axe, Forbes, 1 Nov. 2024
Adjective
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After a full year of fighting, efforts to restore peace have proven futile so far, and mitigating the conflict's worst impacts continues to be a daily struggle.Shannon K. Kingston, ABC News, 7 Oct. 2024
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Defending himself, Musk said it was meant merely to highlight how futile such an endeavor would be.Christiaan Hetzner, Fortune, 8 Oct. 2024
Adjective
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This absurd claim is an extension of their relentless obsession to remove checks and balances within our government.Marina Johnson, The Courier-Journal, 5 Nov. 2024
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The three books so far are deeply romantic, gorgeously tragic, smart as hell, and written in this absurd baroque, irreverent language.Constance Grady, Vox, 4 Nov. 2024
Adjective
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So, giddy up and click through the slides ahead to discover and shop the best cowboy boots on the market for autumn.Alicia Lansom, refinery29.com, 18 Oct. 2024
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So giddy up and prepare to treat yourself to some new smart speakers, cameras, power stations, robovacs, and more.Gabriela Vatu, PCMAG, 2 Oct. 2024
Adjective
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The sight of a covey of desert quail fills me with a mad, superhuman strength.Jack O’Connor, Outdoor Life, 6 Nov. 2024
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Then, like clockwork, a bunch of Democrats got mad.Hershal Pandya, Vulture, 29 Oct. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near harebrained
Cite this Entry
“Harebrained.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/harebrained. Accessed 17 Nov. 2024.
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